Sleeping and waking-up: Korra and Asami style
by grinko
Summary: Korra and Asami explores spirit world and, cautiously, their relationship level. This is a story about their night "arrangements" and their mornings, which started to have rituals of their own. And some things that happened after the vocation. But also only during the late evenings, nights or mornings.
1. Chapter 1: Sleeping in the spirit world

Note: Second and third chapters are basically just build-ups for later chapters.

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It was a great time in the spirit world. Both Korra and Asami did not think or talk about all the things that happened in the material world or what will they have to do after coming back. Both wanted to disassociate from all the things that were in the physical world including the emotional side. They just wondered the spirit world, went to see Iroh, Tree of Time, went out and back in trough both the Northern and the Southern spirit portals just because they could and just because they wanted to see if it would be any different from the new spirit portal. Korra had some doubts about Wan Shi Tong's library, because of all the stories she heard from Katara and needed to learn in school from Sokka's books. But then Asami asked what she was thinking about and, like always, she answered without thinking. As a result, Asami insisted they would go there and, of course, they did. Korra was in her "prepared-for-anything-to-protect" mode. While the not-so-fond Wan Shi Tong talked with Asami and, after five minutes, was impressed by her intelligence, especially after she started to talk about the possible constructional improvements to his library. Korra was impressed too. Although she wasn't sure was it Asami's ability to impressed the scary knowledge spirit or Asami's intelligence in general that affected her so much at that moment.

"_Both_." - Korra though to herself and silently followed the Knowledge human.

It was the good days. They talked about the spirits, the spirit world environment, how it changes, how it reacts to emotions, to Korra (she even wanted to show that, but it was hard as all the avatar felt was peace and comfort). Nights. Nights were... good too. They would put a camp. Korra sometimes would start a fire. Somehow they always ended up putting their sleeping bags very close to each other. After few days into the vocation, they got used to occasional hand holding during the day, but the nights were different. They felt more intimate. And Korra was a little bit confused about that (in a good way though!).

Asami, similarly, enjoyed the nights. The days were always full of experience and in the evenings felt exhausted. Even though she very much enjoyed THAT kind of exhaustion. It was so nice to be able to have a good sleep. And she noticed that her sleep was much better when Korra was laying next to her in a closer proximity.

It was during the nights when one or the other "accidentally" reached out for the other's hand and hold it until the late morning.

And it was during the other nights that one or the other "accidentally" wrapped the other one in a gentile, fragile yet firm embrace. It was during the mornings that one or the other woke up and was too afraid to move so she accidentally wouldn't brake the fragile-yet-firm entanglement of the other. Somehow they often ended up sleeping in the spoon position...

If Asami was the first one to wake up and Korra would be the one to hold her, she would open her eyes, trail the holding hands with her eyes carefully, trying not to move a muscle and resisting the urge to fondle Korra's hands with hers. She would carefully inspect every pico-meter of the avatar's skin. She would watch the pattern of small skin patches, interrupted with a seemingly never-ending natural lines.

Often she would caught herself inspecting Korra's knuckles. The same ones that punches hot, burning fire. The same ones also may punch a gust of air - refreshing or deadly.  
"_How many times were they scraped? How much blood had they seen? How many times was it hers? How many times did she needed to rise them to protect others? How many times did anybody else raised theirs to protect her?_" - She found herself trying to answer the last question - "_Not often enough__."_

Asami often inspected all irregularities on Korra's skin and then she thought if it could be scars from her previews fights, how did Korra get them, what kind of enemies she was fighting, did she got hurt and if so, how badly. A feeling started to emerge inside of her. She did felt something similar before, but it was different this time. It was stronger. It was like an oath. She wanted to protect Korra. Even if she was the 'little spoon' now, she wanted to protect Korra so that the avatar would not have to fight ever again.

"_But I guess this is impossible. The Avatar belongs to the world. And without her fights, she wouldn't be who she is. But still..._" - an image of Korra's glowing eyes in her father's arms emerged in front of her. And she could not control the urge to squeeze Korra's hands any more.

Korra woke up right after it. The edges of her lips lifted just slightly. After few more moments she opened her eyes. A back of a head with black shining hair lightly falling on one of Asami's shoulders was right in front of her. Korra could smell the engineer. She wanted to take a few deep breaths of the scent, but she didn't: "_Asami may have done this during her sleep. I better control myself so I wouldn't wake her up._" Korra closed her eyes again to better feel the body she was holding in her hands. She studied every breath Asami took. Every time Asami breathed in, her chest lifted. For that peak of a moment, Korra's hands could slightly feel Asami's diaphragm. Every time she exhaled, Korra's right thumb, the tip of her index finger would end up on Asami's lower ribs and the rest of her palm - on the engineer's stomach. Her right hand was stretched under Asami's neck.

Asami thought she felt Korra's smile. She also noticed that her breathing was a bit deeper and rarer. "_She's probably awake... Did I wake her..? Crap.__ I need to learn to better control myself._" She decided not to move and continued to investigate Korra's hands. She liked how the touching surface of the avatar hand increased when she breath in. She unconsciously tried to take deeper breaths. Asami closed her eyes again when she breathed in a little deeper than usual. She concentrated on Korra's left hand fingers. It felt like an incoming tidal wave. The thumb pressed to her breastbone. The tip of the index finger almost touching the base of her left breast. Just like the water of a tide comes and gently touches the beach sand. And just like that, it went back.

Korra noticed a change in Asami's breathing. "_Oh, shit. I woke her up._" Her eyes widened on this thought and her body tensed a bit, so slightly that even she didn't fell it.

"So... I guess you're awake too..." - Asami said after few minutes of hesitation. She felt that the light, blissful feeling that was brought by intimate yet almost inevident touch of Korra's hand on her stomach, was leaving her and a heavy one was falling onto her. She wanted to preserve the previous sense, but with her rational mind part, she knew she couldn't - the spirit world was too big and the vocation time was too short.

"Am...yeah..." - Korra answered sadly that this conscious shy intimacy will have to end - "sorry about that..." - she added with a slight move of her right hand fingers.

"You don't have to apologize for anything. I had a very good sleep." - Asami answered closing her eyes and trying to suck, to remember the soon-gone cautious touch of the person behind her.

But this happened every morning. The one who was holding the other started to apologize for doing so. And then the other one said that the first one have nothing to apologize for. It started to be their vacation ritual.


	2. Chapter 2

Their vocation ended fast. They walked though the portal back to the physical world just the same way as they did going though it to the spirit world - wordlessly, tightly-gently holding hands, with eyes full of love, care, devotion, sheer trust and hope. It was late evening - they planned to come back at this time just so that the shift won't be so radical as the time they shared in the spirit world was just like that - calm. Exciting, adventurous, full of emotions, yet still full of inner peace. And they did not want to fall into the whirlpool of city noise, masses, satomobile horns and strangers.

Although at that time Asami had her apartment in the city, she often went to air temple island. Both Asami and the airbenders felt that they grew up to be a family. So Asami and Korra without even talking about it went together to the island. Both of them still had their rooms there. Even clothes and tooth brushes never left the places where their owners had put them.

They walked to Asami's car and Korra took her staff out of the trunk. She looked at Asami a bit embarrassed: "_I think it would be faster if we'll fly with my glider...if you don't mind_"

Asami looked over her shoulder to Korra as she was looking for her things in the car. A smile light her face: "_I don't mind. But are you sure you can carry us both to the island? Maybe we can just take a boat and you could waterbend us there?_" - Asami enjoyed the idea of enfolding Korra during the flight, but she was worried that it might be a bit too much after this time of basically no bending or physical activity.

Korra wanted to feel Asami close. Of course Asami made a good point. Even though Korra was mostly in a good shape, there was no way to know how muchweaker she got during this vacation without workouts and avatar stuff. But she wanted to feel Asami close to her sooo badly... It was a conflict between inner desires and good judgement. But if they went on boat, maybe Asami could still be sitting next to her..? -

"_Yeah...you may be right. But I would suggest you to sit next to me - sometimes the waves can get pretty high and it might be a bumpy ride, so it's better that you would hold on to me. Just so...you know..._" - she felt herself blushing, choking, throat getting drier with every word - "_in case something unexpected happened, I would grab you and save._" - she started to realize how underrated of Asami's survival skills this might sound - "_Not that you can't take of yourself!_ \- she added quickly - "_It's just that it's water, and I'm the avatar and a master waterbender so I think in this particular situation, it would be irresponsible from me not to_" - the choking increased as her mouth completely dried out - "_you know...take care of you._"

Asami could not keep her eyes from Korra and a tender smile appeared on her face. She though Korra was so cute and looked so innocent at this moment. She wanted to hold Korra. Probably she would have came up with similar excuse to hold Korra, but she was happy that it wasn't her who had to do this - "_Yes, of course. I would not want to fall out into the cold water - I don't take it as good as you - so You better prepare for a strong grip._"

A big happy smile illuminated Korra's face - "_Yeah, sure! No problem! Strong grip resistance applied!_"

Asami could not help but admire Korra. Her face, her personality, her whole being. And for the moment, she thought, that it wasn't just Korra's face that the smile illuminated, but the whole area they were at. "Could it be that the avatar's feelings reflect on the material world too..?" - Asami wondered quietly to herself. - "Whatever it is, it's beautiful." - she stood there admiring the view in front of her for a few moments - "No, it's more than that. It's wonderful. **She** is full of wonders."


	3. Chapter 3

They were here. Asami never let Korra go, holding her tight with both of her arms around Korra's waist and head nestled on her chest just below the neck. Korra wanted to go in circles just so she could prolong that moment - "_...but if I'll start to circle around the air temple, she'll definitely suspect something. Maybe I can take a longer road._" - she started to talk to herself. And with that last thought, her face changed from complacent to thoughtful - _"It's a bay, you stupid! There are no roads!_" - she angrily argued her own probable excuse.

Of course Asami noticed the change in Korra as her thoughts flew in her head. Even if Asami had her eyes closed, her left ear, even though placed not exactly on Korra's heart, heard every thought in Korra's mind through every heart beat - "_Is she plotting something? I hope she'll come up with something good to prolong this trip. Like..."_

"The water is a bit restless, so I will take the boat with an angle. Just to, you know... decrease the swinging and shaking." - Korra said trying to sound as compelling as she could. Deep inside she knew that Asami would understand that it's rubbish. With a little bit truth in it, but still rubbish. Asami has the brightest mind in the whole universe after all. Spirits, she's a genius - she'll never fall for this!

Asami smiled as a pure satisfaction started to burn inside her soul as she replied: "_Aye aye, captain. Whatever you think is the best for us to safely reach the island._" She knew it was just another excuse to procrastinate their landing but, hey, moments ago she was trying to come up with one of her own... so she's definitely not the one to judge. She's the one to enjoy. And with that she tightened her grip around Korra and pressed her head even tighter - the master of four elements herself said that this might be a bumpy ride, so she needs to get a good hold. Doesn't she...?

Korra felt relief with every word of Asami's answer. She did it again. She made up a totally-probably unbelievable argument and the most excellent mind in the world went with it. "Or did she just play along..? Had Asami any other motives..? Did she too wanted this 'cruise' to last longer than it needed to..?" - Korra again was in her thoughtful mode.

Asami giggled and said to herself: "Wow. Her mind must be be working at full power now... Even though we share this strong connection, in these situations she's so clueless. That's so cute!"

Asami tried to do giggle secretly but both of them were so aware of each other, that this immediately picked up by Korra as it was she who now talked to herself: "Oh crap. She's onto me. Got to be my normal self. ...whatever that might mean." - eyes rolled.

"_You know, this is probably the best boat trip I've ever had._" - Asami finally said something out loud. She didn't open her eyes or move any unnecessary muscle - just the needed ones to stay attached to Korra so 'she won't fall out'. - "_Reminds me a little of fast driving. If not the swinging, it might be just a bit more relaxing than driving._"

Korra was pleased as if she just ate few bowls of seaweed noodles with bowl of sea prune for desert. No, she was more pleased than that - "_Well, we could do this again sometime. If you would want to...relax...or get away from everything..._"

"_Like a momentarily vocation..?_"

"_Yeah, just like that._"

Warmth and peace enveloped them both. It seemed that they weren't boating. It felt more like they were gliding through the air with all the surroundings being gone and them existing in the never-ending vacuum full of them both, their feelings. And none of them even would have noticed even if Korra would have started to circle around the air temple. Which she did.


	4. Chapter 4: Sleepless night at the gazebo

It took them 1 hour and 44 minutes to get from the harbour to the air temple island. Korra decided that it's time to finally tie the boat to the dock after she circled Aang's statute and the island for the eighth time - it started to look really awkward. Even for her.

After the boat stopped, Asami unwillingly started to release her grip. She did it slowly, memorizing every second her right arm enclasped Korra's left side upper abdomen and middle back, while her left arm surrounded Korra from her middle back to her abdomen. Asami tried to seize the touch of her shoulders to Korra's lower chest, part of her right breast and the inner side of her crankweb. The touch of her neck to Korra's right upper chest. She wanted to remember the sound of Korra's lungs every time she breathed in and every time she breathed out. She wanted to memorize it all into her mind even if it meant her ideas for new air-planes would be lost for the lack of space in her brains.

Korra 'parked' the boat to a stop next to air temple docks. She took a deep breath: "Well, i guess there's that then." - she said to herself, not the first time talking to herself in her mind today.

"_We're here. Safe and sound as promised!_" - she tried to sound cheerful to Asami, but her soul was sad for this whole trip, and the whole vocation to end. This was the end of all that time, of the time with no worries and only Asami in it. After they get out of this boat - it's back to reality. The real reality they so successfully ran away from right until this moment.

"_Thank you for taking such a good care of me._" - Asami replied softly her head still slightly touching Korra's top-of-the-chest-just-bellow-her-neck.

"_You're very welcome. Anytime. It was my pleasure._" - Korra could not decide which one of those to choose as a proper replay, so she just spilled out all of them. Smiling as it was becoming a norm for her being together with Asami.

Only Asami's palms were still resting on Korra's right side of her middle back and her abdomen. Such an unexpected and very wordy answer got Asami a little bit in a flat spin, but she managed to gather herself up quickly and giggled - "She's so cute!" - yet another unspoken compliment was born.

Korra, seeing Asami's giggle, answered with one of her own - "She's so lovely!" - a similar thought went through her head.

Korra stood up and jumped out of the boat tying it to a pole. She gave Asami a hand and they both were now standing facing each other on the footbridge. Even after spending few weeks, they still could not get enough sight of each other.

"_I guess everybody's asleep, so we should keep it quiet._" - Korra said unconsciously taking Asami's palm in hers and starting to walk towards their dorms.

Asami nodded. She was half step behind Korra and her lip corners were slightly lifted - she could not fully hold in the joy of the unconscious move that Korra just made.

They did not talk about any 'sleeping arrangements'. None of them gave it time to think about that - none of it was left after being so engage into one another during their boat trip. Only when Korra walked Asami to her room did it stuck them that this was an unresolved matter. None of them wanted to spend the night far from the other. Even if they did sleep most of their lives without each other, doing this now seemed too weird, unusual and unaccustomed and even wrong. But they also did not have the courage to speak about this out loud.

"_Soooo...this is your room..._" - Korra was the one to start the uncomfortable and 'caught-between-a-rock-and-a-hard-place' type of conversation (at least that was what she thought about it then).

"_Yes, this is it_..." - Asami followed in the same note. Her eyes were wondering from the floor to Korra's toes, to her face.

"_Soooo...yeah...I-guess-you're-tired-and-want-to-sleep-so-I-leave-you-to-it-then-and-I'll-see-you-in-the-morning-then-have-a-good-sleep-good-night._" - Korra spilled all the words as is if they were hot lava stones in her mouth. She then gave Asami a strange looking grin and marched to her room.

Asami was there standing with her lips open and some words suck half-way in her throat. It was too unexpected, and _she_ ran too fast. Could she shout to her? No. First of all, she would wake everybody in the dorms by doing that; second, Korra was gone already. And Asami was just left there standing. Alone. And puzzled, lost, confused and unable to comprehend both what and, more importantly, **_why_** happened.

Korra walked away without turning around. She thought, that if she would look at Asami any longer, she would not be able to walk away and she wasn't sure if continuing their 'vocational sleeping arrangements' was 'appropriate'. She wanted to. Darn did she wanted to! She was shaking from all those emotions that was filling her now. Was she stupid for not talking to Asami about it? Maybe she too wanted to continue their 'together time' at least for the night. Asami **_did_** say that she had very good sleep every morning Korra apologized for holding her, her hand, taking in her scent, for not waking up her, for, maybe, being a bit too close... So maybe Asami would have wanted to continue their new tradition..? But how could Korra ask this..? ""_Hey, want to continue sleeping together even though there's nothing here that you can't take care of yourself?!" - like this could ever work!_" - Korra scolded herself again.

She walked into her room. Closed the doors behind her. Opened her window and took a deep breath: "_Nice work, Korra._" - she said out loud gazing to the dazzling light of the spirit portal - "_Things were so much simpler in there... I miss that already..._".

She ended up standing there half an hour before at least trying to go to sleep.

Asami entered her room, closed the door and put her bag on the floor - _"Well, I guess it can't be helped. Tomorrow we definitely would have to talk._" - just as Korra, she too found herself talking loudly to herself - "_I'd better try to get some good sleep then. Although this will definitely be much harder now that Korra is in the other room..."_ \- she heave a sight.

She felt a little bit left. A memory of the time, when nobody knew where Korra was came back to her - the feeling, she did not want to experience ever ever again. She shacked her head - "_Away with the negative reminiscence! Korra is just few meters away. I know exactly where she is and how she is. It's nothing like that time!_" She nodded to herself, changed and went to bed - tomorrow then.

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But her sleep didn't last...didn't came even..._..._..._..._..._..._..._..._..._..._..._..._..._

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"_Can't sleep?"_ \- Asami asked Korra while approaching her sitting at the gazebo. The moon was still high in the sky and the city lights reflected in the water as if billions of starts where dancing therein.

"_Not exactly..."_ \- answered Korra throwing a quick glance at the appearing figure and moving her eyes back at the city with avatar's Aang sculpture on the side. It wasn't usual for her not to trace Asami with her eyes.

"_Are you ok? What's on your mind? Tell me."_ \- Asami said taking Korra's palm in hers and squeezing it gently.

Korra looked at their hands. An inner shiver went through her spine from the bottom of her feet-nails to the tips of her hair and back. Some of the shiver settled in her heart and it felt as if it wasn't beating, but more like bouncing - like a tennis ball before the player makes a serve. - "_It's..."_ \- the words stuck in her throat as falling giant boulders in an arm-lengths opening. It seemed that not even the air could pass through it.

Asami never took her eyes from Korra. Never even moved a muscle - she new Korra would feel it. Staying still, giving her encouraging looks and waiting - that was the strategy. She knew she had to wait. Korra would come back. Korra would talk.

But Korra just looked at their hands with the boulder in her throat. She even forgot how to breath. She was concentrated on the words she wanted to say, probably even needed to say. But she couldn't. They were suck. Somewhere along the way.

Eventually her body took over - due to the lack of oxygen her body started to breathe on his own ignoring all the cautious thoughts Korra might be having. "Thank Raava for survival instincts and so-called lizard brain!" - Asami thought still standing and holding Korra's hand as a statute.

Finally, after sixteen minutes Korra raised her eyes to look at Asami: the inner corners of her eyebrows were lifted, eyes full of sincerity and genuine care, concern. "She kind of looks like that time..." - Korra thought remembering when Asami took care of her after that. The left corner of her lip lifted slightly.

This change didn't underwent unnoticed by Asami. She slightly smiled at Korra and gave another gentile squeeze on her hand - "You can tell me anything. Absolutely anything. You know that, right? I won't go anywhere." - she said in her thoughts giving the squeeze.

Korra started to take a deep breath. Closed her eyes in midway. Locked the breath for few seconds. Started to exhale. Opened her eyes midway. She wanted to look calm.

Asami looked more concerned now. Korra started to look very serious, maybe even portentous. Her grip on Korra's hand increased.

Keeping her voice as calm as she could while her heart was bouncing as a basketball ball during a final game, Korra started: "_I utterly enjoyed our time in the spirit world._" - she lowered her eyes to the holding hand again.

Asami did not say anything. She saw how hard it was for Korra to talk. She knew better than to interrupt her now that Korra finally gathered herself enough to be able to make words leave her.

Korra took few deep breaths again: "_I know we never talked about it in the spirit world and we never got the chance before and this is only the first night we came back. But..._" - deep breath - closing eyes midway - starting to exhale - open eyes midway - eyes looking straight at Asami's eyes - _"The touches we shared, our 'sleeping arrangements'... I thought that this would express the growth of our relationship. Maybe it did. But we never talked about it. "_ \- deep breath in - though to self: "need. to. stay. calm." - deep exhale - _"I didn't felt that we needed to name it somehow but now that we're back, I don't know how to feel..._" - no matter how she tried. Her voice started to quiver a little. Just a little, but Asami felt it very clearly.

Asami's face changed from concern to straight. Her worried heart started to find a little solace. The initial thought that it was something very bad, something, that she might not be able to fix or help to fix began to disappear. Her hand released some pressure on Korra's hand just to give her a reassuring squeeze. She raised Korra's hand so she would be able to take it in both of hers.

Asami smiled a bit - _"You know, I utterly enjoyed our little vocation time too. I was waiting for three years for it._" - her lip corners were up just slightly.

Her voice sounded warm and inviting. Korra felt as it enveloped all of her starting from her palm that was securely hidden between Asami's palms. The tension she felt before eased a bit. Her breathing evened just as her heart started to beat again instead of bouncing through the field. - "_You have a very beautiful writing style. I loved your letters. And I felt that I was waiting for this"_ \- she squeezed her palm - "_for a long time too. I know that it's just few weeks that this started but I feel I was with you for way longer - maybe even more than three years, ever since that Red lotus stuff happened. And I know for sure that I don't ever want to be away from you. I want this"_ \- she made another squeeze -_ "to grow and last - like the Tree of Time. I know that it might be out of blue, rushed or silly, but I really feel that I found my soulmate - You. And I don't want to be a halfpeeled sea prune ever again._" - Asami giggled softly. Looked at the palm she was so protectively holding and raised it to her heart - "_I want to be fully realized Avatar and fully realized Korra. And I don't think that would be possible without you. You make me so much stronger and being next to you I want to be better every minute._"

"_I thought you didn't needed to give words to what it is..._" - Asami teased a little as one corner of her lips rose. She hopped to put Korra at ease just a little bit more still holding her palm next to her heart. Korra furrowed her eyebrows just a bit - this remark did not reach its goal at all. Her heart started to beat like eight note - at some corner of her head, she was glad it wasn't the sixteenth note.

Asami noted the change in Korra and quickly started to correct the situation: "_I'm sorry. I just wanted to say... I never would wanted to go into the spirit world with anybody else. Or anywhere to have a vacation. Just You. These years with you away was so hard. And I was glad that there was plenty of work to do in the Republic city. I wanted so badly to come and visit you, but I know you needed your time and I hoped that you'll come when you're ready. To Republic city._" - her voice hushed - "_To me."_ \- she started to push the palm in her palms even closer to her chest even though there was no "closer" - _"I hadn't had such a good and easy sleep in years as I did with you in the spirit world with the "accidental" hugs. I care so deeply for you. I cared for long time. I didn't know what kind of feelings it is. You became my best friends so fast that I lost the moment I started to care for you more. But I don't think that I realized the my feelings before our time in the spirit world._" - Korra's eyes changed. They were filled with joy, cautious happiness, understanding, gratitude, love, wonder. For some time she thought that hearing this would calm her, but know she knows how wrong she was - her heart switched to beat 36th notes - and they don't even exist! Asami continued: "_While I'm next to you or even when I just think about you, all the loneliness and worries disappears. You may be right, it might be out of blue, rushed or silly, but I also feel that I was with you for more than just these few weeks._"

Korra's eyes widened - she didn't thought that she gave her any time to think about the possibility for Asami to feel the same. Or did she..? She remembered how well they communicate without any words, how they are able to feel each other so very well. It did make sense that both of them would feel the same.

Korra put her free left palm on Asami's that were still trying to push Korra's right palm right through the sternum straight to her heart as if it would make Korra closer. Much closer. After few moments Korra freed her right palm and hugged Asami in a strong, firm, gentle longing embrace - "_Let's get married..._" - she whispered softly into Asami's ear.

Asami's eyes widened. Heard started dancing like volleyball ball. She tightened her grip around Korra's waist, her eyes closed, nose dived into Korra's collarbone, face was coloured with the widest smile she had since... no, she never had such a wide smile. Not even when she had build her first engine alone, her first satomobile. Not even when she saw Korra after all those years. Those years when she was building imaginary friend, friendship, relationship. Those years, when she thought she was going crazy - "_Anytime._" - she just managed to answer almost whispering to Korra's ear and trying to drown herself in Korra's short hair.

The two of them did not manage to move. They just were there. Standing. Holding each other in eternal embrace. Finally. The world around them disappeared. Even the ground they were standing on vanished. For Korra it was only Asami that existed in that moment. For Asami - it was only Korra. Their hearts slowed down. It seemed that they even stopped at some point. And restarted again. Beating in unison. As if they had one heart. One heart that was beating in their two bodies.

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Note: while writing this my player played Ben Howard - Promise. Seemed very 'in place'.


	5. Chapter 5: The wedding

It was dawn already, when Korra and Asami broke their embrace and decided to go to sleep. To do that in separate rooms as their hearts already beat in the same frequency, and so they already were united and no wall would ever separate them.

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Next evening they decided to have the wedding in one week - enough time to prepare and inform everybody important to them. Each had to do their share of preparation work outside the wedding arrangements (they had responsibilities after all, so they couldn't just ditch them and make a run away wedding. They were responsible. Korra at least tried to be responsible in that area - she had a great teacher by her side, you know...)

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Asami insisted to have their wedding at the Southern Water Tribe. Although Republic city started to be Korra's home and it was home for Asami, she wanted it to be special for Korra. She wanted to experience the Southern traditions, wanted to grow them a bit on her and what's better way to do that than a wedding?! And she also wanted Katara to be there for Korra (although before she thought about the strange feeling that might emerge in Katara watching her husband in the former life, marring...).

The wedding ceremony was a bit different in the Southern Water Tribe. There was no ceremony official, only the chief, who's only duty was to pronounce the couple wed after each of them said their wows and drank dried tiger seal tea of a single cup they made together beforehand. The cup could be made from ice, bone or stone, the only demand - the material must be local. The cup that Korra and Asami made for their wedding was from stone. The ceremony was performed in the centre of the village. The area had three circles. The outer circle was dedicated to the guests. The second circle symbolized eternal love and had carved waves - symbols of struggles and disagreements that the eternal love will have to overcome to become eternal. The third and the smallest circle was right in the middle of the second one - that's where the marrying couple stood. The chief was positioned just outside it.

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Their wedding evening was perfect. It seemed as the stars and the galaxies also wanted to join their celebration - the sky was pitch black with distant worlds shining their blessings on the couple. It looked even more miraculous when the dim light bounced from the fresh snow all around the ceremonial ground. It look as a happy dance of tiny twinkles.

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Asami and Korra arrived on Naga. Korra hopped of Naga and helped Asami to get down too. Korra looked into the emerald eyes and she felt a tsunami wave of warmth, love and happiness flushed her right to the toe nails and back to her hair tips with some of it leaving through her ears. For a moment she could not breath and she crippled a bit as her knees went weak. She saw all her future, all the world in those two small green 'gates to the universe'.

.

Asami stood next to Korra while the latter one was almost literally drowning in the depth of the green fields of Asami's eyes. It wasn't until Naga gave Korra a poke, that she could remember what was happening **_now_**. Korra looked around and realized she was at her and Asami's wedding. At some point, Asami found it very adorable - Korra even managed to zone out at the wedding. The day that should be scary and nervous. But it wasn't for any of them. It felt more than right. It felt as everything was finally falling into places. Was it strange? They hadn't seen each other for three years. Then they meet, spend few weeks fighting a crazy lady. Then they spend few weeks in the spirit world and a week later - they are here - at **_their_** wedding. When you put it that way - it does sound crazy. No. It's not crazy. It might be unusual. But it's not crazy. Or wrong. It's good. More than good. It's the best. It's the way it should be.

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With all the glitter around, bellow and above them, Asami squeezed Korra's hand: "_Let's go. I have something important to tell you. And I want everybody to hear that. Especially you._"

.

Korra's eyes light up with joy. But then immediately it changed to a one-sided smile: "_I have something important I want to tell You too. And I want something important to hear from my father also._" - she now could not hold her wide whole-faced smile that was probably the strongest light emitter at that moment - "_Shall we then?_"- She took Asami by hand and they stepped into the second circle - the circle of eternal love.

.

Korra tried not to stare at her bride, who glided through the snow as if she was an airbender - "Twinkle-toes." - Korra said to herself - "That's what Toph would call her." - and a small giggle escaped her.

Asami looked at her both amused and confused. She leaned a bit to Korra and whispered to her ear: "L_ater, you'll have to tell me what's there so funny to you._"

Korra brushed her thumb through Asami's hand. Squeezed it as hard as she could without causing Asami pain. And another tsunami flushed her inside. She wondered how long will this last. These strong waves every time she touched Asami...

.

Few more steps and they are here. The smallest inner circle. The circle of union, merging. They stopped and turned to face each other. Hands holding each other. The circle wasn't big, so they were standing very close - just few centimetres from each other's bodies. This proximity might seem unconformable in front of parents on other occasions, but not this time.

.

They intertwined fingers. Their hearts was beating simultaneously - each could feel that. It was Korra's time. Korra's time to speak. She took few deep breaths - not that she was scared. She did not want to forget to say anything, so she needed to focus.

"_Asami. In front of my family and all of my tribe, I want to say how much I love You. Not only You make me a better avatar, but You make me a better me, Korra. You inspire me to do my best, to seek. You taught me to see the light and Your love taught me to accept myself. I feel much stronger next to You. And it might be that everything I say sounds very selfish, but it is so - I love You because of my selfishness. Because You are everything I am not, everything I lack. Without You I feel like a tore book, like a polar dog-bear without fur. You are my water in the desert, my moon spirit, my ocean. You are my strength, my life force. Without you I'm like South Pole without snow, ocean without fish, an airbender with chains. You saved me more than once in more ways than any history book can describe. And I can just hope that during our life together, I will be able to show my gratitude, my love to You. I hope that I will be able to be by Your side the way You were by mine. I promise to cherish You and never forget how much I love You. And I promise to make sure that You won't forget that too. I love You, Asami Sato. And in this circle of eternal love and unity, I vow to love You forever in this life and all the others to come._

As if reassuring her words, Korra gave a firm squeeze to Asami's palms while pronouncing the last sentence.

_ ._

Tears started to gather in Asami's eyes. A small, almost invisible smile grace her face. Korra managed to notice it. Asami did not know and even did not have a clue what Korra would say. For few moments all she could do was stand there and be overwhelmed with the emotions that Korra's words arose in her. Only couple minutes later she remembered that it was her turn to say her vows:

"_Korra. You were so lucky to speak first. I was preparing for this so long, but now I forgot what I wanted to say to You."_ \- only after those words escaped Asami's mouth did she remembered how the vows should start. She felt bewildered right away. How could she screw this up?! She's not stupid to screw up on things like memorizing few lines! And then she felt Korra's warm glare and rubbing thumbs reassuring her that everything is fine. She took a moderately deep breath and began anew. Well, kind of anew:_ "In front of all Your family, all of your tribe and our friends, I too want to say how much I love You. You said, that I inspire you and make You better, but You are the one who does the same for me. You always want to protect others without thinking about yourself. You always try to do what's right and good. You push Yourself to unthinkable limits, some of which even didn't existed before You crossed them. Every day I stand beside You, I feel honoured to be there - by Your side. You showed me worlds that I didn't know existed before. You tought me things that no book or school could ever teach. If I'm everything You're not, than You are everything I'm not. You are the best Korra and the best avatar there can and will be - no offence to Your past lives and those, that are yet to come. I think that You are the incarnation of everything that's good in both this and the spirit world. You said, that I'm Your water, Your ocean, Your fish, Your moon, but You too are my... my... ...everything. My muse, my oil, my gas, my source. I promise that our relationship would be my never-ending, most beautiful ultimate creation. I promise to be by Your side and to never let You feel alone. I promise to remind You how strong we are together. And I promise to never let You forget how much I love You. And how much You love me - because You just asked me to do that. The love Wan Shi Tong has for his library does not even come close to the feeling I have for You. And I promise that every day with You I will fuel it to infinity so it would stretch through lifetimes. If Your love is selfish, then mine is too. And I promise to do everything to keep both You and myself so selfish, that our love will meet not boundaries. I love You, Korra of the Southern Water tribe. And in this circle of eternal love and unity, I vow to love You forever in this life and all the others to come._

.

Now Korra too had tears forming in her eyes. She never heard anything like that. She never imagined to hear anything like that. They both tightened their hand muscles: all of them from the crankweb, to the fingertips - somehow even the nails seemed tightened too. But it wasn't a bad tight, it was a good one. It was because they wanted to squeeze each other in such an embrace, that both of them were afraid it would make eyes pop out and, eventually, killing the other. And none of them wanted that to happen.

.

.

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Tonraq smiled proudly watching them and hearing their vows. He took Korra's left palm, then Asami's right palm, placed them on top of his right hand and covered both with his left palm:

_"Your spirits had found each other. Your journey might have been long and bumpy, but that only makes it more significant. And memorable. Be sure to never forget how You got here. And what You just said to each other in this holy symbol of fusion. Be sure to be there for one another, although I already know that You've done this already" _\- he made a crooked smiled -_ "I usually have a lot more to say, but You already said everything to each other that I wanted to say. Let me just add, that I couldn'__t be more proud and happy for both of You: my daughter and my new daughter." _ \- Tonraq turned to take the cup Asami and Korra made. It was filled with traditional wedding drink - dried tiger seal heart 'tea'. (It was one of reasons why Korra tried to talk out Asami of having the wedding here. But Asami was persistent. And prepared herself - she went to a butcher in Republic city during the week and brought home raw seal meat - her dinner. To say that Korra was highly impressed and fell even harder for Asami seeing to what length the latter was prepared to go for her, would be an understatement...). With his left hand, Tonraq put the cup to Korra's and Asami's palms that he was holding in his right. And continued his speech - "_With all the tribe, Your family, Your friends and spirits watching, I decree You wife and wife. May Your life together after this point be as full of love as it was before. And let your spirits guide You."_ \- he finished his allocution. And then suddenly added - "_And having the avatar, this shouldn't be hard to do..."_ \- he gave Asami a wink. One that wasn't unnoticed not only by Korra, but all the gathered one, who, at that moment, started to giggle, making Korra just blush a little more and smile with them at her father's remark. Asami smiled sheepishly to Tonraq and then looked at Korra: "she looks kind of as I feel. I'm glad to see that the 'not alone' thing is already working." - she thought to herself not noticing that she found it quite amusing and smiled just wider.

.

What was left to do to 'seal the deal' was to drink from the cup. They didn't manage to decide which one would be the first to take a sip. They considered to use straws, but then half of the cup and drinking meaning would be lost - the second one needed to drink at the same spot the first one did - the ultimate symbol of sharing and unity. Korra thought, that as the one, whose origins is actually in the Southern water tribe, she should do it first. Asami argued, that she should be first because of the exact opposite reason...

And now there they were - two sips away from being officially married. Their first disagreement manifesting itself on their wedding day. During their wedding ceremony. They looked at each other's eyes. Looked at Tonraq who, by that time, seemed a bit confused seeing how long it took for the girls to take the last gulp. The soon-to-be-newly-weds looked at each other again. They stood side by side facing their family and friends. Than Korra, with Asami's hands still on the cup, took a sip. After her Asami, with Korra's hands still on the cup, took a sip at the exact same spot where Korra's lips were just seconds ago. They turned to face each other again. Looked at Tonraq who didn't even try to restrain his smile: "_Still couldn't keep the sheet clean and stick to the traditions fully..._"

Asami and Korra, now finally officially married, united, fused, merged, amalgamated, coalesced... ...just graced at each other amused: how could they..?!


	6. Chapter 6: The party

After the ceremony when the newly-wed Korra and Asami walked out of the ceremonial circle, Bolin started to shout: "_Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!_".

His chants spread out like a wildfire (which was kind of ironic, because, you know, they are in the South Pole after all) and now everybody was shouting: "_Kiss!Kiss! Kiss!_" Asami and Korra were flustered. Only then they remembered - they had their vocation, engagement and even got married, but they still didn't have their first kiss. Should they do it now? Here? Will it be as special as it could-should be? Maybe they need to wait until they are alone to have this miraculous moment...

Korra looked at her father - not only was the fact that they did not share a lip touch with each other that was causing her to doubt the suitability of this act in this situation, but also the thought of doing this in front of her parents for the first time with her love, her wife-who-did-not-have-time-to-be-a-girlfriend, felt...weird. To say the least. But she got surprised - not only was her father, the chief of the tribe, chanting together with the crowd, but he actually made hand signs for everybody to shout louder, harder, whatever-er, so that the newly-wed would feel more encouraged to kiss.

But they didn't. Asami and Korra looked at each other with puzzled eyes still firmly holding hands as if they were glued together. Neither of them knew what to do. Should they do it..? They are officially legally entitle to kiss each other now. But first kiss in front of everybody...

Korra managed to squeeze a sheepish smile. She draw her look from Asami to, well, everybody and started to rumble: "_Well...um...you know...we are...um...we just...you know..._" - she stopped for a moment as if she had seen Raava herself. And there it was. The saving grace of an excuse! - _"I believe I would speak for both of us saying that we are overwhelmed by the fact that just seconds before we got married and that all of you were here to share this joyful moment with us. But as you know, following the traditions, we just had not the most tasteful drink, so I would rather spare Asami and myself the 'pleasure' of tasting the tiger seal heart again. I can promise you that we'll share more than one kiss. After all, this was one of the reasons I married this wonderful girl - so that I would be the only one who ever kissed her._" - she looked at Asami. Eyes filled with joy, satisfaction, love and even pride. Korra was never good at lying or making excuses. Maybe some of Asami got rubbed on her? Or was this so successful, because of the kind-of-truth excuse she was saying?

Asami failed to keep up her fond smile which was later enriched with one raised brow to which Korra answered by shrugging her shoulders.

The crowd went quiet. Only an "Awwwww" broke the silence when Korra finished. It was Bolin. Apparently he found Korra's marrying excuse very cute and could not hold himself (not that he tried...).

The celebration lasted until the morning. There was a lot of dancing to the traditional water drums music. Asami even learned the traditional newly-wed dance (if she went as far as eating raw meat to prepare, than the dance was as easy as busting few triad members or assembling satomobile from scratch). During the traditional dance Asami's and Korra's right hands were tied together with blue leather strap. The dance involved them performing synchronous movements. The difficulty was that at certain intervals, the musicians would start to improvise and then the pair would need to adapt accordingly still being in perfect synch. The improvisations would increase in length as the dance goes and at the end, they would last several minutes. Fortunately, by this time Asami and Korra got to know each other very well and were able to feel every slight change in each others face muscles (all of the 43 of them). In addition, there were this indescribable bond, feeling of each other, where each eye or slightest skin contact gave the other all the needed information. So this part was actually very easy for them. In fact, they enjoyed it so much that they forgot the event and the occasion the dance was happening for. They didn't noticed how the music stopped and continued to dance. About 16 minutes everybody was staring at them with surprise while they continued to move synchronously to the music only they could hear. It didn't seemed as a dance. It was more a completion. A verification of their suitability (that was the whole point of this dance after all), a possibility to tune into each other (but they already did that earlier at the gazebo when both of their hearts started to beat as one).

They stopped eyes locked at each other just like the tied right hands. Their left hands were holding each other too, even without the blue leather stripe. Their breaths were shallow and frequent. Traces of sweat could be seen on their smiling with satisfaction faces. Even if they both had impressive stamina, this dance took way more than any of the fight they had. And it wasn't because it was long. It was because they were involved in it fully: body, soul, mind. Every cell was dancing, communicating with all the other cells in the nearby body.

Korra was the first to brake from Asami's eyes. She looked around and Asami did the same. They saw everyone staring at them with their mouth open (Bolin's jaw felt the lowest). Then they stopped to look at Tonraq. He and Senna probably were the only ones with their mouths shut and faces as well as bodies proud. He stepped closer to them, put his hands on both of their shoulders: "_Now that's some dance! I don't think anybody had done the full dance, not to mention the extension of it! You truly are each other's missing pieces! I wonder, Asami, if you have some avatar powers that Korra lacks..._" - he took them in his strong bear hug for few seconds. Then released and addressed the attendance: "_Now everybody! Let's celebrate! Don't forget that this marriage is a rejoicing for all of the tribe!_" He released the newly-wed couple and went to his wife showing her some of his dance moves.

The musicians started to play traditional celebration music and everybody started to dance. Asami looked around with astonishment. The traditional dances and music was nothing she have ever seen or heard. People dancing in groups, circles, lines. It looked like a chaos, but then she managed to draw patterns in their movements. "_You know, I did my research while preparing for this, but no book could ever prepare me for this..._" - she said to Korra while looking around body pressed to the avatar. Everybody was dancing around them, shouting happy shouts towards them or just into the air, joining the feast.

Korra found this little frightened wonder very irresistible and sweet. She started to unbind the blue strap from their right hands and, after success, she pulled her hands around Asami in a tight embrace reassuring, that she would not let anything happen to Asami and that these people won't trample her: "_This isn't anything alike to what you can find in Republic city, huh? Well, wedding and birth are seen as the biggest celebrations in the family. And here the fellow tribesmen are considered to be members of the family. Very big family. But actually, if you'll ask me, I think they just like to find an excuse to go crazy, dance and sing._"

Asami put her head on Korra's shoulder, hands on her waist, and closed her eyes: "_I like it. Very much._"

Korra followed her and shut her eyes too. Once again the world around them started to fade. First the spectacle. Then the sounds. At some point, the trembling ice bellow their feet vanished too.

It was Katara's touch that brought them back. "_Can I talk to you?_" Both Asami and Korra automatically assumed that the woman was talking to Korra. The avatar looked questionably to Asami, who answered with a nod. "_No._" - the old master cut their wordless conversation - "_I want to speak with both of you_." The couple looked surprised, but followed Katara, the former wife of, well, kind-of-Korra.

They sat at the table each close to one another, yet Asami was further from Katara than Korra.

"_You know, when Aang and I were hiding in the Fire nation, he went to school._" - Katara stopped for a while then a smile-turned-into-laugh came - "_Toph once made a good observation: he had the craziest adventures when he was alone._" - it looked as if Katara drifted to her past for a moment. To the time, when she was with her friends, training, saving and changing the world. Having fun, having life lessons. The time when they were all together. Strangely, it was the best time - after the war they all were too busy to get together for a longer time...

"_Anyway. Aaang came back one day to the cave we were hiding in at that time and declared that he wanted to teach the Fire nation kids how to dance. Apparently this was a forbidden "thing" at that time. Sokka, of course, objected with all this might._" - Katara laughed again - "_Too bad for him, that nobody_ listened!" - her laugh subsided a bit -_ "And we end up having a music-dance party. Aang showed these kids how to express themselves, how to be free. I must say, he was quite popular with the Fire nation girls in his class. Yet he asked me to dance. I didn't know how, so he said to just follow his lead and start by some water bending moves. So I did. Everybody ended looking at us much like everybody was looking at you today. Except, we stopped together with the music everybody could hear!_" - Katara laughed and after the laughing sound faded, she took the palms of each women sitting next to her. She switched her glances from Korra to Asami - "_I must admit that no matter all the fighting we did, we too were sweating. It was a great party! Before it was ended by the head of the school, that is. But despite that, Aang managed to reach his goal - he showed them what it is to be free, to express themselves. And they helped us to escape._"

The women finished speaking, but it felt, as if she wanted to say something more, so the couple stayed silent.

"_Next time we danced in front of people was the same dance that you did just now. By that time we knew each other for ten years and we knew what is happening with each other even if we were separated by long distance._" - the respected water bending master tightened her grip around each of the palms in her hands and looked at Korra - "_Your father does not have all the information. Aang and I managed to finish this dance._" - she again looked at both Korra and Asami - "_But even we didn't take it that far as you two just did._" - Katara now addressed Asami - "_I think that I should have known you in your previous life. And I feel, that You have been by the avatar's side ever since the beginning. I must admit, seeing the reincarnation of my love marrying again hurts a little, but it also makes me very happy to know that you, Korra, found love that not many are blessed with. And, like I said, I believe, that you, Asami, was by the avatar's side for many lifetimes before. I might just hope that when my time will pass, I too would be able to be at your presence._" - she squeezed their hands harder and gave to each of them a deep, penetrating gaze- "_And I'm talking about both of you._"

Neither Korra nor Asami knew what to say. Katara's words reached so deep each of them. Asami remembered a glance of thought she had some time ago, that it might be hard for Katara to see Korra's wedding. Even though Korra was Korra, she still was Aang in her previous life. And Asami doubted that Katara could ever forget that. Might this be the reason Asami now felt so emotional? Now - after getting the blessing of the former wife of the avatar, of Korra's former life.

Asami stood and enfolded the woman in the tightest embrace she thought was appropriate and healthy.

A tear formed on the corners of Korra's eyes: "_Thank You, Sifu Katara. That means a lot. For both of us._"

Katara's eyes widened at the word "sifu" even when she was hugged by Asami. But after a moment, her look released into the soft and loving as it was. Maybe even more: "_Your welcome, pupils._" Korra joined the hug.

After few more moments Katara said, that she wanted to go to sleep: "_I'm not that young any more when I danced with your previous life, you know... Good night you two. I wish you two all the best. But don't feel strangers and come visit me more - I like having you around._"

Both Asami and Korra bowed to Katara in respect. "_We will. We promise._" - Asami added.


	7. 7: Let's go on a ride (ditching wedding)

After Katara was out of sight, Korra looked at Asami with twinkles in her eyes. Asami new that some kind of offer will came out in just a mome...

"_You wanna get out of here?_" - Korra asked excited.

And there it was!

"_You sure..? We ditched one wedding. You sure we can do that with this one too? Not to mention that this is ours..._"

"_It is **ours** that is why we can do whatever we feel like. So? What'd you say?_" - Korra looked hopefully at Asami as curiosity began to overtake the latter one.

"_Maybe we at least need to tell your parents? You said it yourself that the tribe is a big family. And your family is... well, your father is the chief. Kind of like the father of all fathers. So we need at least tell him that we're leaving..._"

Korra rolled her eyes. She wasn't very happy with the rationale Asami gave. But she knew that the genius mind was right. This celebration was for them. Well, for all of them, but in **their** honour. So telling at least her father seemed the right thing to do.

"Fine._ I'll go and tell him. You stay here._"

It was strange for Asami to be taken care for, but she enjoyed it, and, if she was true to herself, she definitely very easy could get use to it. And by that time, the curiosity had completely over taken her. She loved the feeling of kindly unknown.

.

.

.

* * *

.

.

.

Korra returned to Asami after several minutes.

"_My dad gave us his blessings once again so we're good._"

Asami was agazed: "_His blessing?! What are you planning to do that your father felt he needed to give his blessing for?_"

Ups. Korra felt she told too much: "_Am...Nothing...much...nothing much...!_" - she felt she needed to switch her tactics - _"Besides, you basically told in front of everybody that you trust me without any reservations. So ..._"

And here Asami cut her: "_So you will start to play the 'wife card' so soon?!_" - Asami said with one eyebrow a little raised, hands crossed on her chest.

Suddenly Korra was standing pop-eyed. It took a while for Asami to grasp what she just said, but after she did, she was mirroring Korra, hands fallen on the table. "Wife". That was true. But it was the first time any of them pronounced it out loud. That word echoed in both of their heads. It took three minutes for the words to settle down in some part of the brain and their eyes to come back to their sockets.

"_Well, if that what'll take, then yes. Yes, I will play the 'wife card', wife._" - Korra replied softy, proudly, and happy as a polar dog bear playing in the snow, with a little emphasis on the 'wife' word.

Both of them were smiling fondly at each other. It still felt strange, but it was the right kind of strange.

"_Now c'mon. Let's take Naga and get out of here, my wife_." - Korra might get used to that word very quickly...

"_Well, you promised to take care of me, so I will trust you, my wife._" - Asami enjoyed it no less than Korra did.

They took each other by hand and walked to Naga. And then - took off to a Korra-only-knows direction.


	8. Chapter 8: On the ride

They rode silently for eleven minutes. Asami pressed closely to Korra - no air allowed between them.

"_Korra..._" - Asami started cautiously almost whispering. If there would have been any additional wind, her words would have been lost in it. Her eyes closed as she concentrated feeling the body in front of her.

"_Yes..?_" - Korra wondered what caused this. And she hoped to hear the answer soon.

"_Do you think Katara was right? ... _

_... About me being present in your previous lives..._"

"_Hm..._" - Korra didn't know what to answer. This was a tough one. And she didn't have her previous lives to ask them if there was someone who might have been Asami. Raava..? Could she help..? - "_I don't know. I can't ask them, sorry._" - the loss of her connections to the previous avatars still hurt - "_But even if I could, I don't know if they could answer. I mean, I'm nothing like Aang. Even though we are the same soul, we are quite different. It might be that in your previous lives you also were different from what you are now..._" - she silenced trying to gather her thoughts - "_But I sure hope that my previous lives had you by their side. It's selfish, but without you, their lives should have been much harder than with you in them._"

Asami opened her eyes and lifted her head: "_Why are you so sure about that? You just said that even if the soul is the same, the personalities in different lifetimes vary a lot..._"

"_Well, yes. But I'm sure that the most important part, the core, is still the same. I can't imagine you being Azulon... Can you? Can you imagine yourself slaughtering the whole nation? Or oppressing others?_"

"_Of course not! ..._

_But still... He was friends with avatar Roku at first, wasn't he..? It was only after Roku left that he became this crazy obsessed monster... Even if he later regretted what he did reminiscing about his days with Roku..._" - and here Asami thought not about herself. She remembered her father. Her loving, caring father who got consumed by hatred. Who later regretted what he did... Her hands shivered around Korra's waist.

"_What..? What is it..?_" - Korra didn't hesitated to express her concern.

"_It's...I just remembered my father..._" - her head fell on Korra's back again.

Korra released Naga's lead and took Asami's hands on her waist with her left hand. She managed to put her right hand on Asami's head and give her some comforting strokes: "_Hey! There were a bunch of people living at that time too! Your father doesn't need to be Azulon! As far as we know, he might have been a farmer, trying to make a better life for his family..!_"

Asami nodded. Korra took Asami's gloved hands and kissed them. Then put them back around her waist and resumed the steering. Asami tried to get closer to Korra by squeezing her. Korra didn't say anything. Just smiled lovingly. She enjoyed the feeling. She enjoyed Asami.

"_You think Katara would be present in your life?_" - Asami continued the topic.

"_In **our** life..?_"

Asami could not help but smile on the correction. She did not know how, but Korra so easily brought a smile to Asami's face: "_Of course. Sorry. In **our** life._"

Korra was pleased with herself. She managed to correct the smartest person in the universe! - "_I sure hope so. I don't care what kind of relationship it would be, but I would love to have her in our life. I can see why Aang felt for her. She's great. I don't remember seeing her questioning whether or not to do the right thing. She always did it. She never turned her back on people in need. I don't know where she got all the strength to endure all the hardships and everything. So yeah, I hope she would continue to be in our life even after she'll leave this lifetime of hers._"

Asami could not help but grow even more respect for the legendary water bender master - "_She sounds amazing..._"

"_She is. And she kind of reminds me of you..._" - Korra said with a smirk.

"_Me?!_" - the unexpected comparison shocked Asami quite a bit - "_A legendary water bender master who brought Aang back to life, helped to stop the hundred year war and start an era of peace and kindness, reminds you of a ordinary non-bender?!_"

"_Yes. Although I would not agree on the "ordinary" part._" - Korra said casually as if telling that it's cold in the South pole.

"_I can't see any resemblance here..._" - Asami hopped to extract a bit more information from Korra.

"_Well I do. And you have to believe me. After all, I am your wife you know. And I don't lie. Especially to you."_

"Y_ou know, at this rate this 'wife' card would be all used out pretty soon..._" - Asami smiled again. She found Korra's proud voice in this situation very amusing.

"_It has an expiration?_" - Korra wondered.

"_Yes it does. Especially for the 'often users'. And you will have to trust me..._"

"_Because you're **my** wife..?_"

"_Exactly!_" - Asami said firmly yet still with a felt smile in it. After few quiet moments she added - "_So where are the resemblance between me and Sifu Katara?_" - direct approach - that's what worked with Korra best.

"_You really don't see them? None at all?_"

"_No._"

"_Well, first of all, you care for others no less than she does. You want to help them first without thinking about yourself. You are **the** master brain bender - sifu Asami of the Sato family. You use your resources to help people, build city, seek for balance, you search for ways to improve the quality of life for the poorest and you search for ways that there won't be poor people at all. And you do this with consideration to the spirits. Katara might have never turn her back on the people in need, but you didn't too. You had to overcome many hardships, some of which, I think, might have been even greater than Katara's, but you still done the right thing. Always. That is why I think, that you are the strongest person I have ever met with Katara next to you._" - And with that, at the back of her head, Korra wondered, if Asami is blushing by now. She didn't had the tendency to do that, but she was modest even if she had this high amount of self-confidence - "_Oh, and yeah, you saved my life._"

Asami's jaw dropped a little: "_I did..?_"

"_Yes. More than once actually. In the desert. After Zaheer. And you made sure I'm fine and safe. Even when I was just meditating._"

"_Ok, I'll take the desert incident, but it was Su who saved you - she took the poison. I couldn't do anything._" - for Asami being powerless was just as hard as it was for Korra. They both hated it equally - _"All I could do was just stand there and watch you suffer with fierce eyes glow in rage and then ... _"

Korra didn't let her finish: "_Su did take the poison out, but it was you who took care of me on the daily basis before I left. It was only you I could let see myself like that. It was you who offered to leave all her life, her company, her city and be with me in a cold, unknown land, where people usually don't go to 'just for fun'. You offered to leave your home just to be with me, to keep me company so I wouldn't be alone. You always took care of me. You knew what to say, what to do._"

"_But you said 'no' to me coming with you, so I stayed...But I didn't think you'd be alone. It was your home. You had your parents and Katara._"

"_Yeah, but I had no friends. I didn't have you. So you wrote me letters. And even though they were frustrating, they were comforting too._"

"_But I wasn't the only one who wrote to you. Mako, Bolin, the kids - they all wrote to you too. Wait - frustrating? Sorry about that..._" - her voice went low as guilt descended into it.

"_Hehehe._ _Don't worry about that. It was frustrating, because you all were doing these important things, helping the world. **I** was the avatar. **I** was the one who needed to do all those things. You all were doing my job. And I was stuck here, stuck to my bed. I started to question if the world still needed me at all. I even shouted at Katara... I apologized immediately, but it still felt bad. And as for the letters from other - yes, they did write. But your letters felt different. I don't know how to explain this. They were... carrying, sincere, honest... It felt as if at least you needed me. I really don't know how to describe it, but I hope you get it that they were helping me a lot._"

"_I did need you. And I still do. I did all those things, because I missed you and I wanted to help you do your job. To celebrate what you already have done. I guess, I wanted to make you proud."_

_"Wow! Thank you. Do you now believe me that you are just as amazing as Katara?"_

_"Ok, I will believe you._"

"_Because I'm your wife..?_"

Asami chuckled - "_And because of that too._" - she pressed a kiss to Korra's shoulder without realizing it and put her head on the scapula in front of her - "_I can't believe I saved you, Korra... and the avatar too. Will have to put this on my resume..._"

They both laughed. With Korra trying to speak: "_Tell me if you'll need a recommendation letter - I can give you a very good one._"

"_Deal._" - Asami closed her eyes. She could almost fall asleep now. It was so calm and warm. The stars in the sky were still watching over them. In their and the moon light, the snow was dancing around the couple. Everything was good. And she helped Korra. Korra helped her. And they were going to be together. And Asami got compared with the prominent Katara. Still a 'wow' here.

"_Asami?_"

"_Yeah._"

"_I think I just realized what 'the avatar type' is... Thank you._"

Asami could not help but laugh. Again. Korra's fault: "_Glad to help._"

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Notes: yes, still not kiss :)


	9. Chapter 9: On the ice and in the ice

"_I assume asking You where are we going for that long would be meaningless..._" - Asami kind-of-asked-kind-of-observed.

"_You know me well, Mrs. Sato._" - Korra replied with that pleased-with-herself taste.

Asami just sighted: "I guess that's what I signed for by marrying this impulsive and spontaneous, in some cases, woman..." - she thought to herself pressing harder to Korra. A loving and happy smile came to her face afterwards.

"_Don't worry, I told you that I'll take care of you and I will._" - Korra replied to Asami's action turning her head to Asami and leaning it backwards to touch Asami's head.

"_I know you will. I'm not worrying about that._" - with her eyes closed, Asami rubbed her nose into Korra's cheek that was now available to her. It was their first intimacy of that kind, but for both of them, it felt so natural that they even didn't noticed doing it.

"_Good. Because we're here._" - Korra almost whispered to Asami the moment Naga stopped.

It took another moment for Asami to be able to pull away from Korra, to open her eyes and to look around. They were standing on an ice shelf. Just an ordinary ice shelf as any other in the South pole. At least that's what she thought. Korra's face was lit with a one-sided smile. She understood that Asami was puzzled and didn't manage to grasp why did they ride this far to be standing on ice with some view to the ocean. She helped Asami get down from Naga, took Asami's palm in her own. The stars still gazed upon them and Korra was grateful for such a wonderful night.

"_C'mon, I want to show you something. This is my favourite place in the South pole. But even though I ran with Naga here many times, I've never managed to see the same sight for two times. It's always a surprise._" - Korra tried to explain Asami at least something, but the greatest mind in the universe still was puzzled.

"_Just come!_" - Korra shouted and started to run lightly.

Asami almost fell from the sudden pull, but her combat skills helped to react quickly and she soon caught Korra.

They both were happy as a polar bear-dog meeting the snow for the first time. Naga was running just behind them jumping as a rabbit-ant.

Asami was so concentrated on Korra and the whole moment they where in, that she didn't noticed how a strange ice structure appeared in front of them. It was something, that looked like a tunnel made from ice, but it wasn't really a tunnel. Its walls both from outside and inside weren't smooth, but looked as if someone carved it. There were some openings that joined the outside and inside. In some places the ice was thinner than others. It looked as a structure form a world, that wasn't neither the physical, nor the spirit one. The ice structure had a twisting pillar on the top of its blunt triangle-like entrance. The entrances wasn't even. The left side had a large peace missing only a third of its length above ground. And the missing peace didn't have a regular form, it resembled a circle that was stretched to one end and was going up and into the ice cave. The other side of the entrance was wider at its base. The upper corner was so thin that Asami could almost see it collapsing any minute now. It then widened again merging with the twisted pillar at the top. The light wind that was blowing caught the edges of the entrance and made a strange low pitch howl. The pitch of the howl changed with the wind speed and it started to sound a bit like a musical pattern. Asami wondered how was it here during a blizzard. Or at least during mid-winds... She then took few steps to the right side of the icy structure. The middle section at some parts were carved in leaving smooth icy 'bubbles' to stand-out. One of them had a deep dip behind it. The structure felt as if it was waving as water does. It was a strange thing to see to Asami, as she always thought of ice as a steady and firm structure. Almost as an earth, only made from water. She took few steps more and saw icy columns wide at both ends and eaten in the middle. Lines indented across the columns could be seen. Their width varied, but they were perfectly straight.

Korra pulled Asami's hand slightly: "_C'mon, let's get in. It's wonderful there during the full moon and the full stars, clear sky._"

Asami nodded cautiously. She still was affected by this unearthly sight. But if Korra said that this spectacular structure was impressive inside, than she believed her. And so she went in, trailing Korra by half a step.

And Korra indeed was right. The structure inside was...was...awe-inspiring. The light, that penetrated through the ice amplified the difference in the walls and made a strange shadow dance inside. The inside structures made it even more marvellous. There were sculpture-like ice figures. One of them had the shape of a woman, who had leaned to take something, that was hidden deep into the icy wall. The ceiling seemed as sea floor. It was very wavy at some parts. It was also uneven, with sometimes deep dips or long protuberant structures, which too looked very individual. Some of them were similar to stalactites or big icicles. Others were way more complex. With small irregularities on them. As they walked and the light angle changes, the complex structures revealed even more of themselves. The penetrating light made some parts of the ice shine like glowing dragon-flies. Asami did not know what it was exactly in the ice that gave such an effect and at that time even her engineering brain was shut by the sight. They walked even further. Moon and light made its way through openings in the walls and ceiling. As far as Asami could see, there were no sharp edges. All was smooth, uneven, constantly changing. Some ice looked very clear and the light dyed it blue with clearly visible shade of green. Other ice was blur, filled with small bubbles of gasses that was, as Asami thought or hoped it to be, air. When the light fell on them, they spangled as stars in the sky the newly-wed couple have seen outside all this night. The height of the cave fluctuated from no more than two finger thickness to few Asami's. The width also changed a lot with some places, where both of them needed to turn sideways in order to just get through to large gallerias. The ice was cold. Not wet, not melting with the a touch. It was dry cold. Finally they reached a deep opening that looked straight up to the moon. The entrance they passed was nowhere to be seen. The only opening was the hole few, maybe even more Asami's above their heads. They were standing right in the middle of the hole. Moon was so bright, that their shadows were sort-of mimicking them on the ice. As the ice curved at a high level, it looked as shadow-Korra was sitting and shadow-Asami was leaning on her. The real Korra and Asami was standing holding each other in a close embrace. Korra holding Asami by her waist and Asami having her hands on Korra's shoulders. They kept their distance so they would be able to look at each other.

"_Korra! This is...this is...amazing! I've never imagined that ice can be like...that!_" - she raised her hands showing to everything that surrounded her.

Korra smiled warmly: "_Yeah, I know. Most people think of ice as a smooth and flat material. But it's not. Ice can be diverse. It can have a big swell or a small one. And right next to it it can have a deep sink. It can be pillar-like or it might resemble small upside-down mountains, or thousands of large needles hanging from the ceiling. This cave also has another feature that people tend to forget about ice - change. They say, that water is the element of change. It flows, it waves, it gets the form of anything you put it into. But ice also changes. I said this already, but I never managed to come here and see the same thing twice. Even now when we were going, I didn't know what we'll find. Ice is changing so fast that I started to think, that liquid water is more steady form than ice. Because of all these changing forms, every time I came here, I felt as if I was able to enter an upside-word, which is the small version of our world. It had everything that is found there, outside this ice cave. So when I was locked in the White lotus compound, Naga and I used to come here a lot and I imagined all sorts of things about the people, the creatures that lived here, in this reduced version of our world. And I was the silent observer of it._" - Korra's eyes wandered all around the cave as she was telling Asami about this ice world.

"_Hm...I never thought about that, but now that you mentioned, I did think that ice is sturdy, uniform material. Even if I feel quite silly now saying that out loud... But I didn't imagine that ice could be...something like that_!" - she again gestured all around them - "_it's so beautiful...and calm..._"

"_Yeah, ice can be like that. If we'd come here in summer, ice water rain would fall on us. In the summer, as the temperatures are a bit higher and the winds are a bit warmer, the ice starts to melt and the melted water starts to rain from the top. It's great sight, but I also feel sad a bit about that. Although then I tend to remind myself, that later, the snow and wind will form this place anew._"

"_Thank you for sharing this with me, for showing this to me._" - Asami looked with her grateful and loving gaze on Korra. - "_I think it could easily become my favourite place too...Especially if you would be here to keep the cold out_."

Korra could not help herself and a blush escaped on her cheeks: "_You're very welcome. Showing this to you was my pleasure._"

They locked their eyes on each other. The moon underlined Korra's blush and it made Asami smile just a bit more. She brushed Korra's reddened cheeks with her right hand fingers. Not only the moon light amplify the blush, but it also stressed Korra's (and Asami's, for that matter, too) facial features. Her bright blue eyes become vivid as Asami had never seen before. Her small pointy nose casted a small shadow on part of her cheek. Her lower jaw were exposed like never before. Asami trailed the jaw line with her eyes enjoying every nanometer of it, completely unaware that she was shamelessly staring at Korra.

But Korra didn't noticed that. She was too involved doing her own staring at Asami. Noticing her green eyes, that reminded her of the first spring leaves colour she seen in the Earth kingdom. The only difference was that the leaves were flat and the eyes of Asami was glowing its green colour. Korra found loosing herself in these eyes. She didn't see her or their lives, or their future. She didn't see the world in them. What Korra saw in Asami's eyes was bigger, much more bigger. She saw all the universe, she saw the other worlds that are far far in those stars, which shine so friendly on them now. She saw all the answers to all the questions - both asked and yet unasked ones.

They were like that. Standing wordlessly. Korra holding Asami over her waist. Asami having her left hand on Korra's shoulder, while fingers of her right hand slightly touched Korra's cheek. The blush long gone and forgotten.

And after few, or maybe more, minutes, Korra made a sound.

"_You know, this cave was the most amazing thing I have ever seen..._" - she started to speak slowly and softly, as if trying not to break the silent, the intimate moment they were sharing.

"_To be honest, I think this is the most amazing thing I have ever seen too._" - Asami answered with her voice weak, as if she joined Korra in her effort to cautiously hold that 'something' that was there and then.

"_But later I found out, that this was the second most amazing...am...thing?...in the world ever existed..._" - Korra said a bit mysteriously.

"_Would you share the first one with me?_" - Asami was curious. But this time it wasn't her engineering side that wanted to know. It was her whole essence.

"_Well, I could try, if I just managed to use the right amount of bending..._" - Korra, having her hands still behind Asami, bended very smooth, highly reflective piece of ice, with a size of four palms and two fingers thick. She leaned back a bit forcing Asami to move her palms from Korra's face. Korra moved the ice in front of Asami - "_There. See?_"

Asami was staring at herself. Eyes wide. She definitely did not expected to be "the most amazing thing in the world ever existed": "_Me..?_"

Korra took the ice and froze it back to its original place. She then looked back at Asami and nodded: "_Yes. No doubt about it. You are the most amazing...anything..! In this world. In all the worlds._" - she took a few silent moments to look closely at Asami's eyes again. She pulled Asami back as close as she could, still keeping their eyes locked - "_You are my home._"

Asami was stuck. She heard all those beautiful, wonderful words that Korra said to her in the vow and yet, she somehow still managed to make up more. Asami felt her eyes got wetter with tears gathering in them. Korra grasped it quickly and found herself startled: "_I'm sorry! I didn't mean to upset you!_"

Asami just smiled cupping Korra's face in her palms: "_It's tears of joy, you silly! I'm happy. Very happy._"

Korra's body eased at those words. Their eyes still locked. Korra's hands trailed up Asami's back. Her palms where now at Asami's scapula. Asami slowly and gently moved Korra's face with her palms towards her own. The tip of their noses touched. The moon and the start light still upon them. Their hearts wasn't bouncing as crazy. On the contrary, it was beating even slower than usually. They stopped for a moment. They gazed surely at each other. Their souls connecting even more with every photon reaching their retina. They closed their eyes at the same time. Both slightly angled their heads to the right. Korra gently tightened her hug around Asami. Asami's right hand moved behind Korra's neck and her palm gently touched Korra's hair. Their lips were less than millimetre away from each other.


	10. Chapter 10: The kiss

The touch of their lips was soft and gentle, even fragile. Asami thought, that the touch was similar to the first snowflakes touching the ground in completely still evening. For Korra this touch was softer than Naga's fur after a bath when she was a pup. It was a feeling she never experienced before, even though it wasn't her first kiss overall.

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Their lips parted 8 micrometres. Lips touched back again.

Their lips parted 4 millimetres. Asami caught Korra's lower lip. Korra - Asami's upper.

Korra tightened her grip around the engineer's waist. Asami engirded Korra's neck with her hands.

Their lips parted 8 millimetres. Asami enfolded Korra's cheeks with her right hand. Her left hand was owing Korra's neck. If she wanted, she could have reached her own face with her left hand's fingertips. But Korra was all she wanted to touch. So she kept her palm on Korra's neck gently fondling it with short small strokes.

Korra's hands were keeping Asami secure. It was a deadlock. Even Houdini himself wouldn't be able to give Asami the directions to break free from Korra. And even if he did, no one would listen to him. Neither of them had the sense of hearing or sight. They managed to keep some smell - Korra thought, that Asami was the most fragrant anything she had ever smelled. But touch and taste - that was the most turned on senses they both had now.

Asami's lips tasted better than Korra's mother's home-made sea prune candies. The taste of Asami's lips were nothing she had ever experienced. And it wasn't because of the lipstick Asami always wore. No. It was the unique flavour of Asami herself. Korra could taste her hardships through the childhood. Her pain after losing her mother. Her loneliness. Her quality time with her dad in their workshop. Her devotion. Her sensitivity. Her enormous empathy towards others. It was all there. With some other new flavours emerging as the touch of their lips continued. It was peace. Korra managed to taste how, not so long ago, comfort filled Asami. How love was dominated in her heart. She always loved. That's why she managed to be so good, to do so much good. But this love was more specific. It was a reciprocal love. Love, that filled all the empty spaces and all the cracks of Asami. And Korra tasted it now. With the touch of Asami's lower lip between hers.

Asami did not know how Korra would feel like. How would she kiss. But in some deep corners of her head, she didn't expect it to be so cautious. Maybe she waited for Korra to push her next to the wall. To be a bit more aggressive or fierce. But this was the most innocent, gingerly, sensitive and tender touch she ever remembered experiencing. She was glad she didn't put lipstick today. Maybe her subconsciousness knew something she didn't even thought about..? She didn't cared about that. All of her energy, cells, brain power were concentrate on only two pats of her body - her upper and her lower lip. She was happy that Korra had such a firm lock on her, since her mind was switching off some of her body parts it thought was "unnecessary" - her legs were the first in this line. Her sight, which she wasn't using now, was shut down too - she saw some flash images and then nothing. She even didn't see the darkness, which comes with eyes wide shut. As if eyes didn't existed at all. Her breathing slowed down to a rate, healers would say is deadly. Her heart beat? She just hoped it was there. She could feel the beating of Korra's heart with her chest and her fingertips of her left hand. So that should mean her heart should be beating too. But even if her heart would be to stop now, she would have no regrets. Experiencing **_this_** is worth everything. Anything. She felt her essence filling up with something she forgot the feeling of. It was serenity. Something she probably last felt during that family fest long-long ago. She felt her eyes again. They were wet. Her lips enclasping Korra's upper lip.

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Note: First, I though maybe to finish the story on the previous chapter.

But as I had some chapters done, I thought to write their kiss and going back in one chapter, but then I thought that their first kiss needed it's own chapter. Even if it's a short one.

p.s. yes, this kiss was without tongue. :)


	11. Chapter 11: After the first kiss

The kiss lasted. None of them knew for how long each of them had the other's lips between their own. But their rational mind, that was working again, said that it lasted. Even though for them spacetime itself stopped to exist.

With Korra's lip still between hers, Asami's eyes were wet. They both froze in the moment, but Asami's lips gave away her invisible shiver to Korra. It returned the avatar back to this place and this time, back to her fully aware state. Korra slowly slightly opened her eyes. She had never seen Asami up so close. So close. And her lip was still between Korra's lips. The most magical moment up until now she ever experienced. No opening of the spirit portal, going into the avatar state for the first time, turning into blue giant - none of that was any near of what this was. Asami was beautiful. Korra even didn't think she saw, realized how beautiful she was up until now. And she doubted anyone in the world understood how beautiful actually this amazing girl was.

Asami shivered. She didn't know exactly why. She even didn't fully understood why she suddenly regained her eyes. Or why they were wet. All she knew was that her lips enfolded Korra's lips. And everything was good. Everything was well. She was well. After all these years. Korra was with her. So so close. And she won't go anywhere. She will stay. Her Korra will stay with her. Her eyes felt even wetter. She felt how all spectrum of emotions were filling her essence, her soul. But this time was different than before. This time, all of these emotions were in the spectrum of red and yellow. And there was a new colour. Yes, it was blue. Blue colour of her emotions intertwined with red. And it filled all of the emptiness and hardships she had ever felt through all of her life. Her eyes got even wetter. Another invisible shiver went through her body as the new emotion were filling more and more of her gaps.

Korra felt it. The small shiver went right through the lips. She even thought, that the shiver started in the lips and then spread through all of Asami's body. She saw the water forming under Asami's closed eyelids. She tightened her grip around the engineer. Her finger made few stroking movements on Asami's middle and lower back. She wanted to hug even harder. She wanted Asami to be closecloseclose. But she knew that it will kill the girl, who just became her wife, so she restrain herself.

"_Is everything ok?_" - Korra asked with barely audible voice still not moving any other muscle and keeping the same closeness.

Asami heard Korra's voice. It felt as if Korra's words filled all the space she was currently in. Actually, it felt as her voice is the space she was in. She then noticed that the sense of her body parts started to return. First - her head. Now she could gave Korra an answer.

She nodded just-oh-so-slightly - "_Yes. More than that. Everything is...beautiful again. Colourful. Full..._" - she returned their lips to the locked position they were in.

Korra did not fully understand what Asami meant. But she was satisfied with a "yes". She could not stop looking at Asami. "If there's going to be a second kiss, I'm not taking my eyes of her." - she thought to herself - "She's too precious to waste seconds by not looking at her."

As the sense of her body parts started to return to her, Asami slowly started to open her eyes. Two blue germs welcomed her with an open stare.

They both moved their foreheads closer to each other, so that their lips parted by 2 millimetres. Their noses still touching almost the same just as they did milliseconds before.

"_Hi._" - Korra greeted Asami with voice so low that if it wasn't for the complete and ultimate silence in their surroundings, not even Korra would have heard her own words.

"_Hi yourself, Blue._" - Asami smiled warmly. The water, which came during the kiss, formed tears that escaped through her cheeks down. "She was the Blue. The Blue colour that intertwined with the red. She was the Blue that filled me. Glued me. Made me whole. Again. Or maybe for the first time ever." - Asami thought to herself keeping the gaze with Korra's blue eyes.

Korra's eyes shifted from ease and nirvana to worry again: "_What's..? Did I... Did I do something wrong..?_" - she felt shame coming to her.

Asami quickly cupped Korra's cheeks with her left hand and shake her head lightly, so she would not break their touching area: "_No! No! This was... This was... the best thing I can remember happening to me._" - she felt Korra ease. She stroke Korra's cheeks few time - "_I think this kiss, this close feeling of You made me remember the best things that happened to me. And I think it also built up some new horizons in me. Some good ones, that replaced the broken ones._" - she took a pause and looked deep into Korra's eyes. Then smiled widely-closed her eyes-giggled a bit-opened her eyes to look at Korra again - "_Sorry. As an engineer I should be able to speak more clearly..._"

Korra replied with a warm smile: "_I love how you speak about things. Emotions or engineering - I love listening to you. But I think I understand this fuzzy speaking more than when you tell things about... things._"

They both giggled.

Korra continued: "_You had to overcome so much hardships. And I'm glad to be the one to be with you, when you build your new happy memories. I will never let you feel alone or hurt again. Whatever it is, we'll face it together. I'll always be with you._"

Korra understood. Asami did not know how, but Korra understood that strange description of even stranger experience Asami just had: "_I love You._"

Right after Asami said those words, an "eureka!" moment came to her: "That was it! That was what I saw! What I experienced! It was love! Love I have for her! Love I feel she has for me!"

"_I love You too._" - Korra said firmly looking into Asami's eyes. Her tone made it clear that no one would ever doubt that the words are reflecting her feelings.

They locked their lips again. Exchanging few times who had whose upper lip. No magic had left the touch of their lips - it was still as miraculous as the first time they touched.

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Notes: I know it's a very slow development of their relationship (except from the marriage) but there are bunch of things happening in one night...


	12. Ch 12: The morning at ocean, sky and ice

Notes: this chapter is going to be about another kind "out of body" experience that can happen being outdoors during certain times of day (loosely based on personal experience).

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After few exchanges of the magical lip touch (the second one was just as out-of-this-place as the first one. It only lasted shorter - 4 holdings of each lip), they managed to pull from each other further - 6 centimetres (0.39 inches) from each other.

"_Are you cold?_" - Korra asked Asami worriedly. Her voice was a bit louder than moments before.

"_With you keeping me like that..?_" - Asami smiled warmly lifting of Korra's concern - "_Not even the worst blizzard can get me cold right now._" - she was still amazed how happy she suddenly felt. Happy and whole.

"_I think I have an idea! For a new product!_" - Asami exclaimed happily as she pulled a bit away from Korra.

Korra raised one brow: "_Really? You came up with a new idea right now? Here?_"

Asami wanted to cheer Korra up a bit. After all, the idea came not because Asami was thinking about work. On the contrary: - "_You are my inspiration. I can't control when you will spark something in me. And I'm not sure that you can do that too._"

It worked. Korra felt both flattered and, a little bit, scared. She looked up through the opening in the ice structure - the moon, that was shining on them when they first stood up here, were nowhere to be seen. The stars looked dimmer too. And the sky seemed a bit lighter. "Is it dawn already?" - Korra asked herself. She knew this place very well, so she was sure she wasn't mistaking - the sun was coming up.

"_We need to get out of here! The sun is coming!_" - she exclaimed.

Before Asami could react, Korra took her hand and started running towards the exit. Asami did not know where the exit is exactly, but she knew that Korra knew. And even if she didn't, she could always bend them out of this magnificent ice sculpture. "That's it! We could totally do that in Republic city! But maybe we should try it here first..? Getting ice is still much easier here than there." - another idea popped to her. And again it was all because of Korra. Korra, who was dragging her right now.

Asami made a mental memo to herself to remember these two new ideas she had and concentrate on walking-running behind Korra now - this ice structure wasn't something one can walk in mindlessly.

Few more minutes and they were out. They walked closer to the edge of the ice. Korra was right - the sun was coming up, but it was still behind the horizon. The only thing that happened now was the pitch black turning into dark blue. They stood there for some minutes and watch how dark blue turned blue and then lighter blue. Asami looked at the horizon where the infinite ocean met the infinite sky - there were no way to distinct where one ended and the other began. She than looked at Korra willing to share her observation but the moment she looked into Korra's eyes, no words came out of her. Korra's eyes were just as blended into the ocean and the sky as these two were into each other.

Korra was looking there. Somewhere far-far away. Asami thought, that Korra might have her gaze on the horizon line, but she wasn't sure. For the moment, she felt as if Korra wasn't there. As if she was there - in the space between the ocean and the sky. But despite that, the former loneliness did not came to Asami's heart. She decided to join Korra and started to look _there_ too. She felt her spirit leaving body and joining the space between the ocean and the sky. She saw Korra there. She was playing with the water and the air, jumping from one to the other. She was enjoying them as a tiger-lions puppies enjoy playing with each other.

Korra noticed Asami and stopped. "_Hey! I knew you'll figure this out!_" - Korra said happily to Asami while rushing to her - "_We have just a few moments here. Then we'll have to return. C'mmon, let's play with them!_"

Asami was puzzled. She wasn't sure what had happened. Hers and Korra's body were still on the shore. But here she was with Korra on the surface of the ocean and no shore was even visible: "_What..? What is it..? Where are we..? This isn't the spirit world, right..?_"

Korra took Asami's hand. She chuckled lightly: "_No, this isn't the spirit world. This is the regular physical world. I'm actually not sure what it is or how this works. After coming here few times, I noticed that during this time, I somehow leave my body even without meditating and end up being here and playing with these guys." _ \- Korra showed with her hand to the ocean and then to the sky - "_I talked about this with Katara and she said that this thing happens only to some people of the water tribes._"

Asami was even more puzzled: "_I'm not for the water tribe. How did I managed to do that?_"

Korra shrugged: "_Yeah, but you're...You!_" - saying "amazing" again didn't seemed right to Korra - "_Now come! Join me! ...Us!_"

"_Us..?_" - this wasn't going any clearer for Asami

"_Yeah! Me, the Ocean and the Sky._" - Korra said casually.

Asami shrugged, said to herself: "I guess, being the wife of the avatar won't be anything casual...". And joined Korra.

They managed to jump and splash the water and the air only few times before it became brighter and they returned to their bodies.

"_That was definitely something unexpected..._" - Asami said turning to Korra after they came back to their bodies - "_But how did I managed to do that?_"

Korra looked fondly at her: "_Not sure. I don't understand this thing. But it's jut...during that certain time, I feel a strong calling. A calling **there**_" - she showed to the open ocean -_ "A place nowhere in particular, just there. And then I feel and see myself going there and being there. After few minutes - everything is over._"

Asami thought. She approached this just as any other problem - there has to be a mechanism to this: "_Your eyes. The ocean, the sky and your eyes faded together. They all were the same colour. Indistinguishable from each other._"

"_Really? Wow!_" - Korra looked surprised. She never thought about the colour of her eyes. Or how it plays with the surroundings.

Asami continued: "_I think that might be the trigger. Especially since when the sky becomes even more brighter and the horizon is visible again, we came back_."

"_This sounds awesome!_" - clear excitement was visible in Korra

"_But this does not explain how I was managed to join you..._" - Asami kept her thoughtful face.

Korra took a glance to the direction of the rising sun: "_No time to think! We need to get to the ice cave!_" - Kora pulled Asami again behind the ice cave, so that light, coming from the sun would fall on the ice structure or pass through it. Both of them were looking into the rising sun's direction and the horizon.

As the sun rose higher, the sky turned purple, red, orange and yellow. New colour emerged with the sun higher and higher. The light waves broke after hitting the ice. It looked like the colourful light waves danced on the curves of the ice. A yellow and red photons came to the ice from the sky. They landed on the opposite side of the ice Asami was looking at. She saw how the two photons moved through the ice and reached her eye giving the most beautiful nature miracle she ever witnessed. Unknowing to her, her mouth opened at the view. She then saw another group of photons coming to the ice. She moved to the left, to be able to face the curving ice at an angle of about 33 - 48 degrees (she changed the angle by moving from side to side). She then was able to see how photons landed on the ice and slid on the surface of it. The trail left by the wave of purple, red and orange photons on the ice was reflecting in her eyes.

"_Korra..!_" - Asami managed to stammer out pointing a finger to the now colourful ice.

Korra just smiled lovingly. She knew that this is a wonderful spectacle. It's temporality made it even more special. Made the observer appreciate it even more. But she never imagine to see Asami so affected. She looked like a polar bear-dog puppy first experiencing snow. Korra thinks: "Even I looked a bit more composed when I first saw Republic city." She never could have thought that Asami - the one who knows all things - would be so wordless after seeing such a casual thing for nature.

"_You're so beautiful right now..._" - Korra said mildly. She both wanted and didn't want for Asami to hear it. Although some weak voice in her head reassured her: "Don't worry, you're fine. She so caught up with the morning Sun greeting, that she does not hear anything now." Despite it, Korra didn't want to risk it - what if it was wrong..?

Asami ran around the ice structure wanting to catch every angle and every so-fast-changing light beam falling on it. She really forgot about Korra. And Naga. If Korra didn't know better, she would have thought that Asami was in a burning factory trying to save her unfinished inventions. The only difference - here the running Asami was pleased, astonished and happy. So maybe not exactly as in a burning factory...

The Sun was rising higher and higher. The sky started to turn it's familiar bright blue. All the other colours started to fade. And the ice structure started to look as an incredibly carved thing, yet still the colour of white, clear, blue and more-or-less-at-places opaque ice. It still was beautiful. It still was something Asami had never seen. But with the different lights gone it did feel more static now. Even if the curves made it look dynamic.

Asami stood in one place. Her eyes big and open as if she was four and saw the whole world in front of her. Even if she ever felt like this (when she first visited the family factory..?), she definitely forgot that she was able to look at the world this way. To be able to see small miracles that it shows. To let it wander her. To be amazed by it. To be so open to it.

She spread her arms mimicking the horizon line that was in front of her and took a deep breath. She felt the warmth floating into her (even if they were at the South pole). She exhaled as deeply as she inhaled. She warmth of the world she just inhaled stayed in her. With her.

She inhaled all so deeply again. She felt how all of her adult constraints and all of her fears she gained through time gathered in her lungs. She exhaled deeply, trying to push as much air of her lungs as she could. She felt all those things, that was keeping her bounded in one way or the other, leaving her with the air.

She inhaled deeply again. She felt how brightness was replacing all the things, that just left her.

She exhaled normally. She felt light. Renewed.

Asami opened her eyes and saw the Sun smiling at her. As if it was Korra's and hers plan from the start. Asami turned around to look at Korra who was observing her all the time, never stopping to marvel at girl in front of her, never stopping to admire her and how she was affected.

"_Thank You._" - Asami said walking towards Korra. She embraced the avatar tightly - "_I don't know if you planned this from the start, but Thank You._" - she tightened her grip around Korra even more - "_Even if you plotted everything with the Sun._"

"_What..?_" - Korra had no idea what Asami was talking about. "What kind of plots? And with the sun?" Even if she was plotting with a sky spirit, it would be the Moon - she was a water bender after all by birth... - "_Oh, never mind. I'm just glad you liked it here._"

"_I did. A lot. It's definitely my favourite place in the world now too._" - Asami's head was resting on Korra's shoulder. Her back was facing the horizon and the ice structure a bit on the side too. Her eyes was closed - "_Could we come back here soon?_" - her voice sounded refreshed and innocent.

"_Sure!_" - Korra didn't hesitate to replay. But she paused after that a bit - "_But you remember what I told about this place right..? It changes. And we won't be able to see the same view the second time. The ice structure will be different. Maybe even gone at all until next year..._" - Korra's eyes looked at the surroundings - it was a beautiful view. Republic city grew on her, but this pristine white and fresh air made her feel at ease, at home. And with Asami being here - even so more. It made her forget everything bad.

Asami tried to dig herself deeper into Korra's shoulder even more: "_Right. I forgot about that._" - upset was clearly heard in her words. She was quiet for few moments and then raised her head to look straight into Korra - "_But this just only means we would have to come here more often!_" - she exclaimed with new enthusiasm.

Then Korra realised, that Asami wasn't upset about the change. She was upset about not being able to see it. But there was a solution to that: "_Sure! We will!_". Korra nodded.

Asami's face was smiling the widest smile it managed (this was the trend, it seemed, being with Korra. And especially during this night). She happily pecked Korra's lips (probably without realizing it) and ran towards Naga: "_You heard that girl!_" - Naga raised her head -_ "We'll be coming here more often now!_". Naga happily hopped on her feet and started to jump around Asami licking her from time to time. Asami was jumping together with Naga.

Korra chuckled at the view. Never would she have imagined Asami could be acting so childish.

"_Ok you two, I think it's time to go home. I guess everybody is in beds by now, but we can't be sure. After all, the wedding just started. We still have two days to go._" - Korra said in a I-want-to-sound-serious-but-it's-hard-to-do-that voice as she walked towards the two treehoppers.

Naga and Asami stopped jumping. Naga pushed her head into Asami lifting her from the ground a bit. Asami giggled and started to scratch Naga's head.

"_Oh right. I completely forgot about the fact that wedding is almost like a festival here!_" - Asami replied to Korra. She then turned to Naga again: "_What you say, girl? Could you bring us home? I'm sure I have something for you there..._" - Naga wigged her tail enthusiastically, barked and licked Asami thoroughly.

"_Hey! Don't try to buy her love with treats!_" - Korra scolded Asami as she was scratching Naga behind her ear.

"_I don't need to buy her love with treats._" - Asami replied self satisfied - "_She loves me for who I am! Right, Naga?_"

Naga barked and licked Asami again in reply.

"_Well, I can't blame her for having good taste..._" - Korra said with a grin on her face as she continued to scratch Naga - "_C'mmon, let's go back, you two treehoppers._"


	13. Ch 13: Back to the wedding (Nagasami?)

Korra again helped Asami to get on Naga behind her.

"_You ready?_" - she asked Asami with her head turned towards the girl sitting behind her. Asami answered with a nod and by putting her head on Korra's shoulder.

"_Ok, girl. Let's go home!_" - Korra shouted to Naga. But the polar bear-dog didn't move a muscle.

"_Girl? Naga? What's wrong?_" - Korra asked her oldest friend. But Naga just laid down and whined. Korra looked puzzled towards Asami shrugging. Asami looked no less confused than the avatar. Both of them climbed of Naga and walked to meet the polar bear-dog's eyes. When they got to Naga's nose, she looked at Korra, then at Asami and licked the latter one.

Korra smiled: "_So, you want Asami in the driver's seat, huh?_"

Naga raised her head and barked playfully. Her tail was dancing in circles.

"_Huh..? Me..?_" - Asami seemed surprised about the probable solution to this problem.

"_Yeah. I think she got bored of me. And I think she likes you a lot._" - Korra furrowed her brows a bit as if she was trying to find an answer to an unsolvable question -_ "I'm not sure if I should be happy or jealous about this..._"

Asami wrapped her arms around Korra while still standing next to her: "_I like her a lot too, but I think you can feel safe. At least for me._" - she cupped Korra's cheek with one hand and kissed it lightly. Korra's face lightened up, her knees felt weak a bit and she wondered how long will this incredible woman have that kind of effect on her.

Naga put her nose in between them as if being the missing third musketeer. She whined few times again.

"_She wants to go, right..?_" - Asami looked to Korra for reassurance that her interpretation of Naga's language is right. Korra nodded still with that smile on her.

Naga laid so that it was easier for Asami and Korra to climb on top of her. When she saw that they are all settled, she stood up waiting for Asami's command.

"_All right, girl, ready?_"

Korra, sitting behind her tightened her arms around her wife and nodded firmly: "_Ready!_"

"_And you, dear? Ready?_"

Naga barked in replay.

"_Hey..!_" - Korra pouted. She clearly wanted to say something more, but Naga thrust forward. The wind was blowing in their backs and Naga ran without giving up any advantage to it. And for Asami it seemed that the wind was right next to them - a silent companion of their ride back to the tribe. And Naga seemed to enjoy the Winds company too. And her wife was behind her, holding her tightly. Life was good.


	14. Ch 14: Sleep - the big bed questions

When Korra, Asami and Naga came back to the Harbour city, the dance floor was empty and everybody were still sleeping. The tables were still out and nobody cared to clean them, as this was only the beginning of a three day fest. Today is going to be the second day of their wedding celebration, but for now all they wanted to do was sleep.

"_Where should we go now?_" - Asami asked turning her head towards Korra - "_To the Royal palace?_"

Korra took a few moments to think what does this question hold, as the answer for her seemed obvious: "_Yeah... But why do you ask? Do you have something other in mind?_"

"_Actually..._" - Asami began gingerly - "_I would love to see your old home. Where you grew up._"

Korra's eyes widened. "Of course! She didn't get to visit that place the last time she was here...with all the war and Varikk going on..." - she thought to herself.

She put her chin on Asami's shoulder and whispered into her ear: "_I would loved for us to stay at my childhood home._"

Asami smiled genuinely. This was the longest happiness moment she ever experienced. And now she will get to be in the place where Korra was born. "Probably burned, broke and froze more than few times too." - Asami tried to keep the giggle to herself, but Korra noticed.

"_What's..?_" - she looked at Asami suspiciously.

"_Nothing. Nothing bad. I just thought about how handful you probably were..._"

Korra opened her mouth to say something, but Asami was first: "_Ok, Naga, let's go to the old home! Lead the way, girl!_"

"Hey..! It's not the first time today that she doesn't let me to properly defend myself..! Is it what I signed up for marrying the girl who can get anything using her most powerful mind in the world..?" - Korra smirked to herself. She pressed closer to her wife sitting in front of her - "I guess so."

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._._._._._._._._

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After they got home, Korra made some tea. Naga was sleeping next to Asami. Asami felt warmth. Not just from the tea or the big white furry gentle beast close to her. She felt the warmth of the house, the home itself. She looked at the walls and saw a crack. It looked old. And it also seemed that somebody tried to fixed it. "I'm sure it was made by Korra. No one else could have done that." - Asami chuckled to herself as she took another sip of the tea.

"_Tell me about it..._" - Asami asked eyes on the crack and back to Korra.

Korra lowered her cup. Looked around and wondered where to start. She started from the doors. Told Asami how she occasionally set things on fire, busted walls or grew new ones when she had arguments with her parents. She told how her father slip and fell after she froze the ground under her feet. She then told how little time she had here before she was taken to the compound.

They talked for about two hours. The sun was up even higher. Korra looked at Asami and saw the tiredness in her body and her eyes: "_I think we should go get some sleep. Last night and the morning was pretty eventful and we still have a lot going on later today. We should go rest._"

Asami would have loved to listen more, but she knew that Korra was right. She also felt her head was turning off from time to time and she had hard time joining Korra's sentences together.

"_Mhm._" - Asami even didn't understood how tired and sleepy she was before she failed to produce a full sentence.

Korra just smiled. "I don't think I've ever saw her so tired or sleepy. I don't she would be able to get to the bed on her own."

"_All right sleepy-pants, let's take you to bed._" - Korra said to Asami not sure if her wife heard her. Naga stood up to move out of the way and watched Korra take Asami.

Korra took Asami into her hands: "I heard they call it 'the bridal style' in some places. Ain't that fitting now..?" - she mused to herself since Asami was comfortably asleep in her arms.

"_So, Naga, shall I take her to my room or the guest room? What do you think?_"

Naga barked one time.

"_Yeah, you're right girl. I don't know why I even asked this. It's a stupid question._"

She turned around and walked into her room. Naga trailing after them.

Korra laid Asami on her bed and the latter shifted a bit humming unsatisfied as Korra started to pull away from her. She stopped holding her hands from both sides of Asami. She waited until Asami settled down again and resumed her standing. She was enjoying just looking to her sleeping wife. With that black dress with small blue pieces on the sides of the bottom of the dress. Asami insisted to have them. She took her outdoor boots when they entered the house, but she was still wearing her indoor ones.

"_Ok, let's take those off._" - Korra kneeled at Asami's legs and pulled of her boots.

"_What do you think, Naga, she can sleep like this, can't she..?_" - Korra was flustered about her further actions.

Naga wasn't sharing the same thought.

"_Ok, ok. But wouldn't it be sufficient if I just untied her dress?_" - Korra was still trying to find a solution to a sleeping-dressed Asami problem.

Naga looked more pleased with this suggestion, but still a bit a lot sceptical.

"_I know. I know. But what you want me to do?_"

Naga whined a bit and poked Korra with her nose.

"_I am not doing that._"

Naga poked her again.

"_No! I said I am not doing that._"

Naga whined and walked to her sleeping site as if telling Korra to figure things herself if she's not willing to listen to suggestions.

Korra trailed the polar bear-dog with her eyes. Later she looked back to her unsolvable question 'undress or not undress'.

"_Not. Definitely not. I am not doing that._" - Korra reassured herself again. She turned around towards the closed. Took out her sleeping clothes. She walked to the mirror to look at herself once more in her bridal dress. It was blue with waving white and, just like in Asami's dress, there were some pieces of black sewed on the bottom of the dress, but unlike blue waves in Asami's dress, these black pieces were stair-shaped (imitating unrolled gear). She loved that piece. Loved the idea of carrying a bit of symbolic Asami on her clothes. She turned to look again at the woman sleeping on her bed. So calm and peaceful. And happy. Asami was smiling. It was the pure definition of beauty itself.

Korra resumed changing her clothes and walked to the bed after she was done. She sat on the edge of the bed gingerly. She hesitated to lay down. She didn't know why. They had slept together. Well, not **_together_** together, but together. So why did she hesitated now..? She took few more moments to look at the back of her wife. With her eyes, she trailed every ato-meter. Looked at how the hair strands fall on her back, shoulders, bed. Korra inspected the curve of Asami's shoulder, shoulder blade, how the dress was laying onto them. She trailed her eyes to see how Asami's arm was joined to her body. She took few moments at her armpit. Then lowered her eyes to her waist. Middle back. Her back. It was sturdy and beautiful. Like a wet sand on the beach were the waves meets the earth. She trailed the curve of her hip. Thigh. Knee. She thought that it was the most beautiful knee she had ever seen.

And then Korra yawned. "Time to bed." - noted to herself.

Korra laid behind Asami. Put a blanket on both of them and then cautiously undid her dress. Asami shifted slightly backwards towards Korra. The movement took the avatar by surprise. It took her few moments to collect her composure. She smiled lovingly and put her arms around her new wife: she slid her right arm under her neck. Still sleeping, Asami lifted her head. Korra put her left around her waist. She squeezed her nose into Asami's hair.

"_Welome home, sweet Asami_" - Korra pressed a kiss to Asami's collarbone and felt asleep shortly.


	15. Ch 15: It's on:the new scary competition

"_You know, I really liked the traditional music... Do they perform on casual basis or do we need to have another wedding for that?_" - Asami asked Korra with genuine interest.

"_That's nothing you can hear by turning on Republic city radio, isn't it?_\- Korra smiled - "_But still...You liked that?_" - she seemed surprised that a city girl would find that kind of music beautiful.

"_Sure I did! Why wouldn't I like it? It felt as if it managed to touch my soul to its core. Unlike the superficial sounds of should-be-music._"

"_Huh..?_"

"_I mean, I enjoy that kind of music too, from time to time. It's a good mean to keep my head empty._" - she fell quiet for a moment - "_So, how often do the musicians perform here?_"

"_Um...well, during any event actually. Like I said, marriage and birth are the biggest celebrations. But there are also music for funerals, hunting... Some sing even during the housework - to make it more fun. Basically, everything that is boring or social can have its music..._"

"_That's sounds fun!_" - she made that 'i'm thinking hard' face of hers - "_Korra, why haven't I heard you sing..?_"

"Uh-oh" - Korra began to panic a bit in her head - "Now I'm in trouble."

Korra started to look like the time she tried to make-up an excuse to Earth Queen. Asami knew exactly what was coming next. She crossed her arms on her chest and waited for Korra to talk.

"_Well...You see...um...I don't actually know the words..._" - her voice was pitching higher - "_to any song..._" - voice lowering again - "_And you can't do what you don't know how to...right..?_" - she looked hopefully at Asami - "_So you see, I can't sing not because I don't want to, but because I don't know...And it's totally not my fault._" - she thought she come up with something - "_You know, the compound. Being locked in there. No time for non-avatar stuff._" - here comes that silly grin again - "_You know, no time for stuff that wouldn't help save the world._" - eyes filled with hope that Asami would believe her, silly grin contorted fer lips.

But Asami had one eyebrow raised. Her expression unchanged through all of Korra's little talk.

"Oh, who am I kidding..! Not even I would believe myself." - Korra talked to herself in her head again.

"_Ok. Now the truth._" - Asami sounded firmly.

Korra had nowhere to run or hide. Hands and head falling down. There was no way out with this girl in front of her - she knew everything. Including Korra.

"_I..._" - Korra started voice weak - "_I..._" - locked her breathing - "_I can't sing._" - rushed the words from her with embarrassment.

Asami lowered her raised eyebrow, but still waited for more. She knew there was more. There was always more with Korra.

"_You heard my mom sing, right?_" - Korra looked at Asami - "_And Kya. Katara. Everyone is so good at it._" - her eyes now fell to the ground - "_I just don't sound anything like that..._"

Asami smiled warmly. Put her hands on her wife's shoulders: "_I heard you sing. In the shower._" - Korra looked at her eyes wide and filled with fear mixed with surprise - "_At the air temple. And yesterday too. I used to sit behind the doors and run late to work a few times, because I listened to you singing._" - Asami cupped Korra's cheeks - "_You have a great voice_. _I love hearing it._"

A smile grew on Korra wider with every passing millisecond. She felt the insecurity of her voice fading with every moment Asami kept the reassuring glance onto her. But then a string of doubt went through her head (or heart): "_You aren't just saying that because You love me..?_"

Asami laughed a bit: "_We weren't together when I was sitting next to the bathroom in the air temple, so no, I'm not just saying that because I love you._" - she pulled Korra into a hug - "_Although now that I do, I find your voice even more lovely._"

Korra eased. She put her head on Asami's shoulder. "Still don't understand how this girl does it." - she tightened her arms around the Knowledge human - "But maybe I don't need to do that."

They stood silent for few moments until Asami spoken: "_Hm...I need to figure a way to be able to listen for this music every time I would like to..._"

"_Huh..?_" - Korra pulled herself away a bit, so she would be able to look into Asami.

"_Although it might be not the same without all the people..._" - seems, that her wife was in her own world. Again.

"_Huh..?_"

"_I guess we could learn it and sing it from time to time...but some of these include dances with multiple people, so again this might not be quite the same..."_ \- yep. Definitely in her world again.

By this time, Korra decided just to stand still and listen to Asami.

"_Oh! I saw two women standing very close and looking very intimate... They were making these strange sounds - we could try to do that!_" - Asami said all excited taking both of Korra's hands.

By this time Korra's eyes widened as if she saw giant tiger seal her parents were telling her about to look out for - "_You liked **that**?!_"

"_Well, they seemed having a lot of fun doing it..._"

"_Throat singing gave me the shivers ever since I was a child. These kind of sounds coming from women's mouth - it's just not normal! A camel yak sounds better!_"

"_Wait - you were afraid of singing..?_" - looks like Asami had finally developed a partial hearing...

"_Have you ever heard them?! I mean really heard them. Up close. It was meant to be a friendly game between the two women, but c'mon! It's more like 'who's the scariest' competition!_"

"_A game..?_" - Asami continued to ignore what she thought was Korra's exaggerations.

"_Yeah. The one who laughs or is out of breath first - looses. Don't ask me why - I don't know._"

"_Now I'm even more interested... We could play this game with our own prizes... And I already have a list I would like to win from you..._" - Asami said flipping her hair.

Korra gulped. But managed to gather her composure fast: "_...Oh you do now... Who gives you the idea that you're the one that's going to win? I am a water bender by birth, you know. I can keep my breath for quite some time..._" - Korra's competitive nature completely took over - there were no memory of the scary sounds left in her mind. She just wanted to win and show Asami that her presumptions are wrong. Making to admit the smartest person in the world her mistakes would be a prize on its own...

"_But this won't be a competition of breath holding. This would be a competition of who can keep the composure longer..._" - wink -_ "So you're wanna give it a try?_" - Asami asked already knowing the answer.

"_Let's do this! I'm gonna show you so much creepy sounds, that you won't stand a chance!_" - Korra smirked enthusiastically not knowing where it suddenly came from. No signs of her fear of throat singing and her insecurities of her own singing.

"_Bring. It. On. Avatar._" - Asami was being silly as nobody had ever seen her. Korra liked that side of her. And Asami liked being able to be silly for a change. She loved how Korra so easily managed to bring that side of her to the surface. She remembered, that at some point, she even forgot she was something else than a big company's CEO. But Korra made a very good job in reminding that to her. It was so easy with Korra.

Every morning of their time they still had left at the Sothern water tribe, both of them went to a master to learn the throat singing technique. As expected, Korra remembered her fear - she was still terrified. These sounds still gave her the shivers. Asami, on the other hand, found this very amusing and cute - the mighty avatar was so afraid of such a simple thing as a woman-made sounds.

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Note: throat singing inspired by the Inuit people.

Note: after publishing this, I started to doubt, that maybe I should have made a chapter after their first sleep as a wedded pair...


	16. Ch 16: Nights after the wedding

Asami woke up early. Korra was sleeping there next to her. She still smiled every time she opened her eyes and her wife was the first thing she saw. Naga was there too. Sleeping next to the bed of Korra's child house. They decided not to sleep in the palace. They spend there one night - after the second wedding day, but the rest of their nights was spend here - where Korra was growing up. At least partly.

Asami was surprised that the polar bear-dog, who supposed to be the avatar's animal guide, grew up to be so close to her. Whenever the three of them would be together, Naga would be closer to Asami. And the latter sometimes would find herself questioning the genuine nature of that proximity - it might be that Naga still didn't trust her and just look after Korra by being close to Asami (keep your friends close and your enemies - closer? Might it be the philosophy Naga uses?). Nah, it couldn't be right. Naga licked her (or, to be more exact, washed her with the tongue) too many times for this to be true. So the next most plausible explanation is - Naga loved her. Could it be that by marrying Korra, she also married Naga? Not that she would complain about that anytime. The scary looking fluffy animal grew up on her so much, that she started to miss her like she misses her other friends every time Korra took her somewhere. Or maybe even more. She never had an animal. Just machines. So this was yet another new, exciting experience that Korra brought into her life.

Korra. The girl sleeping next to her. And Naga, the other girl sleeping to the other 'next to her'. Asami chuckled at her own wordily expression. She couldn't understand why she didn't thought just "the other side" and had to make "the other 'next to her' ". But it was fun. Korra brought so many new things to her life. Both: literally and not.

Korra was still sleeping very soundly. Her mouth was partly open. She didn't snore, but she made strange sounds when she dreamed sometimes. Asami would wake up sometimes because of them, but she would analyse the sounds first and based on them and her assumptions, she would either wake Korra up, if she would guess that Korra is having a bad dream, or let her continue her dream. Now Korra was sleeping quietly. A small wet spot on the pillow bellow her open mouth. It appears only when Korra is having a very nice, sweet sleep. Her hair was messy, but she still managed to look radiant. But maybe Asami was just bias.

Wrapped into the avatar's strong protective hands. Korra's right hand was under Asami's neck, while her left enveloped the middle of her back and reached up for her head. Asami, on her end, had both of her hands on Korra's waist - the curve of her waist was very comfortable to slide her hand under it.

They were married now. They even kissed. Even during the day sometimes (cautiously peck to lips or, unknowing to the one who's doing the kissing, kiss the others cheek). But still, every touch of their lips still felt like the first time. And still unreal. Korra tied to keep her promise not to close her eyes during their kissing. But managed to do that only few times. During their lip touch, the emotions flew with such a power, that the eyelids slid down unknowingly to her. She felt, that it was the same for Asami. That kissing for her also felt unreal. She would touch Korra's face as if searching for reassurance, that Korra is here, standing right in front of her, sharing that moment, where nothing else is.

Maybe one would say, that after the wedding, their waking up didn't changed that much - they still woke up in each other's arms like they started to do at the end of their spirit vocation. But sleeping together so openly, maybe even planned, still felt a bit gingerly. For both of them. They would be coloured with blushes before going to bed. And it wasn't because they were embarrassed of one another. No. It was just because everything still felt so fragile. So untrue. They would get to the bed, slide under the covers, lay down face to face with 44 centimetres way from one another just looking at each other's eyes, enjoying and appreciating the view and the person in front. Then they would reach towards each other with the hand, that wasn't behind the head until their fingertips sightly touched. The touch would be so careful, that each of them would be able to feel the ripples of the others finger skin. They would turn their eyes towards their touching fingers, who would dance with each other, caress one another, for some time eventually interweaving. They would look back to each other keeping their eyes for some time. Then eventually move towards one another. Until there was no excessive space left between them. Their fingers would separate. Hands slide through waist, forearms, shoulder, hair. Until they settled on one of the mentioned places. They would kiss. Sometimes Korra would kiss Asami to the cheek before saying: "Goodnight, Asami.". Other times, they would share a kiss to the lips, that reminded Asami their first kiss so much. After it, Asami would say: "Good night, Beautiful". Other times, none of them would remember what they said. And it's all the fault of the other's eyes.

Sometimes, tears still would stream Asami's cheeks. It would still freak Korra out. And like the times before, Asami would have to reassure her, that everything is fine. And even more than fine. And these tears are just the happy emotions, that are overflowing her. Korra would eventually need to learn that tears aren't necessary a sign of bad stuff. After all, she had experienced good tears herself.

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Note: i think i need some plot sooner than i planned. But i enjoy writing that fluffy beginning so much...


	17. Ch 17: Family dinner

Notes: this is just because I would love to see more of Asami and Katara interactions...

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It was dinner time at the Royal Palace. Senna, Tonraq, Korra, Asami and Katara was sitting at the dinner table while Naga was sleeping just next to it. Asami asked Senna and Tonraq for permission to invite Katara for the dinner. She talked with Korra during their day-walk about spending time with Katara and Korra's family. A family both Korra and the mentioned family members insisted, that Asami would call her own. Especially now. As their time in the South Pole was coming to an end, a dinner with everyone seemed a great way to hit 'two elements in one training'.

Senna made a full table of delicious food. "No wonder that Korra from-time-to-time mentioned she missed the food from the South Pole - it's great!" - Asami thought to herself taking another bit of squid in her mouth.

"_So how is the training going?_" - Senna spoke rising a cup of tea to wash the dry piece of seaweed bread.

Asami and Korra looked at each other with puzzled looks as if asking: "Do you know what is that about..?"

Not getting an answer Senna spoke again: "_I met Koto. She said that you both been learning throat singing. Korra, how did that happened?_"

Korra smiled sheepishly: "_Oh that..! Hehehe. Well, Asami challenged me. And I couldn't just back down!_"

Senna looked at Asami smiling. Asami knew what this smile meant. It was a 'you-know-her-well' smile. Well, **maybe** Asami did use a bit of manipulation here on Korra. But it wasn't for something bad. Besides, it will help Korra - she will have a chance to overcome her, more-than-not, silly fear. So in this particular case, Asami didn't feel any guilt. She nodded to Senna, also smiling.

"_Have you already tried to play the game?_" - Katara seemed to find interest.

"_No, not yet. There were no open opportunity to try it as there weren't anything we disagreed for now..._" - Asami turned her gaze from Katara to Korra - "_But definitely later..._". Korra nodded.

Katara spoke as-a-matter-of-fact-ly: "_You know, I once tried to teach Toph throat singing. We had our disagreements, and sometimes it felt meaningless to give any arguments to her. So I thought that this would be the best way to solve these situations..._"

Everybody else, except Asami, had their eyes and mouths wide open after the name of legendary self-proclaimed best earth bender was mentioned. Even though Korra's parents didn't know Toph that very well, they did met her few times after Red lotus tried to kidnap little (in all possible ways) Korra.

"_Really? How did it go?_" - Asami asked putting another piece of the best squid she ever ate in her mouth. Her tone sounded so casually, as if she was speaking about satomobile transmission. She had read about Toph - all of her accomplishments despite of being blind. Asami thought, that Toph was a great role model for those, who tend to think that they can't do something, for whatever the reason is. From Asami's point of view, Toph was inspiring.

"_She wasn't excited, to say the least._" - Katara slowly closed and reopened her eyes - "_But I made an offer she could not resist._" - Katara took a slow small sip of tea while everyone was keeping their waiting eyes on her - "_I said that if she would win, I will pick her toes for two months. But if I would win - she would have to listen to me and do whatever I say._"

"_So, who won?_" - Korra asked mouth still not that very much shut.

Katara smiled a bit wickedly. It's the first time any of them saw that kind of smile from Katara: "_Well, she was an earth bender and I was a water bender. Even though that kind of tradition was almost diminished during the war, I had my heritage..._" - Katara looked at Asami - "_Don't worry, you're talented, I'm sure you'll be fine._"

Asami gave her i'm-not-worried.-I'm-curious smile and looked at her wife with that 'i'm-not-going-to-loose-to-you.-Even-if-I-love-you'. Korra didn't got scared. If anything, she was intrigued.

"_What did you made her do?_" - this was probably the most interesting thing not just for Korra.

"_I guess Lin never told you about the only family vocation she, Toph and Su had..._" - Katara's eyes trailed everybody's faces. Their looks confirmed that indeed, they didn't knew anything about that...

"_They got 'banished', to say the exact word Toph used, to Ember Island. For two weeks. But I think they ended up spending few days there and the rest - travelling._" - Katara's eyes looked deep into the past - "_Toph wasn't the person to enjoy sitting still for longer than few days, so I wouldn't be surprised if they all ended up wandering somewhere looking for someone to beat up. Or just for an adventure_."

She went quiet for a moment. Her gaze return to 'here and now' - "_But I probably shouldn't be talking about what happened there - it's not my place._" - she wondered back for a moment to the days where she, all of her friends and family members where alive and still quite young - "_My only condition was - that they spend the time together. And Toph wasn't the person to brake her word - she was a sore loser, but she still was a proud one._"

Listening to Katara, Korra wondered, if Toph could see her old friend speaking about her life. Korra imagined, that Toph wouldn't approve this information getting out, no less than Lin would. She twisted up right corner of her lip, looking around everybody: "It would be interesting to see a Beifong dinner..." - she noted to herself and after a moment added - "Dancing slumber-fish! It would be interesting to see anything of Beifong's!" - now her a bit widened eyes joined her twisted lip corner following her mind monologue - "I wonder, if Toph is watching from the Swamp Katara and us now, how is she reacting to everything, Katara had revealed to us? Is she more frustrated that Katara told us about their bet and her loss, or about the mandatory family time?" - she tried to find the answer for a few moments. Even thinking about trying to go and find some spirit vines here, knowing very well, that the mission would be doomed to failed. But she wished to see if she would be able to see Toph in the swamp and maybe then get some answers.

She shook her head trying to get rid of her inner questioning monologue and join everybody who was sitting at the table - after all, they are real ones. She needs to connect with them and not try to 'invent' spirit vines in the South Pole just to spy on a woman, who can't tell a proper story. And not to mention, she would probably 'see' that Korra is trying to spy on her and nothing good can come out of that...

"_Well then, if you two still haven't played the game, then I will ask you to inform me of the outcome when you do it._" - Katara spoke again.

Korra took a quick glance to Asami, then took her eyes back to Katara and nodded: "_Of course we will._"

"_Master Katara, I was wondering, could You please tell how the Southern Water tribe was when you were little? I read the books, but hearing a story would be much more interesting._" - Asami asked a bit timidly. She wouldn't have problems speaking with anybody, including the members of the original team Avatar, about business matter, but this was a private matter (more or less) and these were way more sensitive and complicated.

"_I wouldn't mind. But what do you want to know?_" - it was still beautiful for Katara how much interest and respect Asami showed to the Southern Water Tribe. She could not help but to feel happy and at ease for Korra.

"_What was Harbour city like? I read that during the war, the Southern tribe had it difficult with you being the only bender, so I assume that the city wasn't as big as it is now..._" - Asami had a genuine interest and wanted to learn everything. Some things, even Korra didn't know or didn't like. And Katara, being the wise gentile woman, was more than happy to share what she knew. Especially since Tenzin didn't bring her grandchildren that often to her and she wasn't able to tell them a lot of the stories.

And so Katara told everything. About the huts they were living in first, when there was about a few thousands of them left. How the numbers of Southerners dropped with every raid of the fire nation. She first wanted to skip the part about her mother, but looked into Asami's eyes, who were asking for everything, and told. She then noticed a change in Asami. Her eyes fell from the waterbender master to the ground and curiosity was replaced by the sorrow, her hands came to her chest. Korra, who was sitting next to her wife, put her arms around Asami. She was saying something into her ear while stroking her hands through Asami's crankweb. Asami looked at Korra and the latter gave her a kiss to the cheek. Slowly Asami brought back her eyes to Katara.

"_Sorry about that. It's just that...My mom was killed by a firebender. He broke into our hose and she was killed. I was young... I guess, it still haunts me... _"

Suddenly the two women had something more in common then just being the avatar's wives. But either of them would be glad not to have that common ground. But for some reason, for a moment there, it made Asami feel better because Katara was a person who could understand her better than anyone.

"_You know, my mother left me with more than a name and a necklace. And a brother._" - Katara chuckled. A memory of her brother always made her smile - he was a great person to be around with. - "_She left me an example which I tried to follow. Even if I was young at that time, she was able to taught me and left me the most important legacy I carry until this day._" - Katara's mind wondered to her mom. She was a strong non-bender, kind and carrying. And beautiful as the night sky with the full moon and full stars in it.

Katara brought her eyes back to here-and-now. And to Asami. She concentrated her gaze on the new wife of the avatar: "Could she be...?"

Korra was still holding Asami whose eyes now was looking back at the legendary water bender master's eyes: "_Thank You. It was a long time ago_" - deep gulp - "_But after the events in Republic city._" - deep breath - "_The outcome of it... Everything came back..._"

Korra tightened her grip around Asami a bit.

After few more moments Katara managed to came back from her thoughts.

"_I don't think that it will ever go away. We once had an argument with Aang about that - the reaction to the pain and the healing process. As an airbender, he was taught to forgive. He even managed to forgive those, who took his people, his culture, his best friend Appa (fortunately, with some help, we were able to take him back). But I... I wasn't able to forgive the one, who took my mother. And I didn't until this day._" - she put her palm above Asami's - "_But I also don't carry anger or rage anymore. Those emotions are poisonous. Your friends, your new family can help you get rid of those and nourish the healing ones: love, happiness, joy, silliness and serenity._"

"_Silliness?_" - Asami wanted to make sure she heard that one right.

"_Yes._"

Oh, good. She did hear it right.

"_Being able to be silly is just as important as being loved. Although, if you'll ask me, those two are inseparable. Just like love and being safe. We all tend to act in one way or another in front of people. But when we are truly loved, we are safe to do whatever comes to our mind. Even if by doing that we don't look as smart, adult or sophisticated. That's the true freedom that love gives us - the freedom of being whatever and however we are._"

Korra remembered the silly Asami and Naga when they ditched their own wedding to go to the ice, to see the dawn. For Korra, she was so beautiful then. It was the time when Korra felt for her wife once again. Asami, on the other hand, even didn't realized how silly and childish she was acting at that time. But Katara's words made sense.

"_Thank you, Sifu._" - Asami said bowing her head yet again.

"_Asami, I thought we agreed on Katara. Even though it is pleasant to hear someone calling me 'sifu'._" - she gave Asami a warm smile and a eye-dart to Korra. Even though it was Katara who taught Korra sophisticated water bending and healing (which she wasn't very excited to learn at that time), she didn't called Katara 'sifu'. Neither on regular, nor on occasional basis. Should she feel guilty about that? Maybe more because she wasn't paying that much attention during their healing training...

Katara continued to tell about her water bender master, who later became her new grandfather, how the Northern water tribe came to help rebuild the Southern one. While reading, Asami was confused how the chief of the Northern water tribe became the chief of both tribes. She knew Katara's and Sokka's father was the chief. And then later Sokka was the chief. So it should have happened after Sokka. But the process itself was a mystery.

So Katara told her. Told all of them: "_When Sokka passed away..._" - deep breath. The moments spend with her brother made her smile, but his passing away was still was a sad moment - "..._there was no one to take his place. Tenzin had the expectations of Aang to rebuild the air nation. Bumi was with the United Nation forces. Kya... well, no one in the tribe was suitable to replace my brother. So the Northern water tribe chief took over. It was suppose to be temporarily, but as with many things that are temporal, this became permanent. That is, until Tonraq brought the chief back to the South._" - she shot a glare to the current chief - "_Although, he's still of Northern chiefs line, so maybe not so many things had changed._" - Katara wasn't complaining. Tonraq was a good chief who's leaders abilities could compete only with her father and her brother. But she just had to mention the paradox and couldn't resist the urge to tease.

Everybody exchanged puzzled glances not knowing how to react exactly. After noticing the warmth of Katara's face, they all erupted laughing. It was indeed a big paradox. Or something like that.

After Asami drained most of the stories from Katara (everyone else was happy to sit and listen) and the dinner started to turn into breakfast, Senna asked Katara if she would like to stay the night.

"_Thank you, but no. I like my bed. During my life, I learned to appreciate the familiar bed sheets and walls, that surrounds them._"

"_Then me and Naga will take you._" - Korra hurried to put the offer before anyone managed to think of anything to say.

Katara yet again smiled warmly and bowed her head in appreciation: "_Thank you. I would appreciate that._"

Asami took care of the dishes while Korra took care of Katara. Senna insisted to helping, but Asami kept her ground. Nobody were surprised about that.

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Note: not sure how this turned out. I think that Korra x Asami interactions are better...


	18. Ch 18: Sleepless Korra

Korra woke up in the night. Her wife was happily sleeping next to her with face buried in Korra's short hair and neck. Korra laid on her back, her right arm was stolen by Asami who had it safely locked between her arms and tightly pressed to her chest. Korra slowly turned her head to Asami. All she could see was some black hair, but even those she felt more with her cheek then with her eyes. She tilted her head trying to find Naga. The polar bear-dog was sleeping at the end of their bed on the ground. "If she'll be so stick to us after we'll come back to Republic city, Asami will probably make an enormous bed so she would fit to sleep with us" - a laugh right after a mental image of Asami **actually **constructing the bed and the not-so-small bear-dog sleeping with them came to her head - "Well, nobody said married life is easy. Especially with those two..." - Korra tried to pull slightly back from Asami, cautious not to wake her up - she wanted to feel her with her eyes more than she did moments before. After she succeeded, she started to gaze at her wife: "But I wouldn't want any other way..." - she kissed Asami's forehead, stared at her for few more moments. Then she carefully moved out of the bed.

When Korra walked by Naga, the latter lifted her head and looked at the tip-toeing avatar. Korra noticed that immediately: "_What? You gonna scold me for walking to the toilet now?_"

The polar bear-dog didn't seemed impressed by the comment.

"_You know, I liked you better when I was the only one for you_..."

This seemed to have a bigger effect on Naga, as she gave Korra 'really? We're going there now? Like you're the one to talk' look.

"_Look, if you're so displeased that I'm leaving Asami alone, why don't you go and join her._"

This caught Naga's attention. Her ear rose and eyes seemed more than interested.

"_Go. Just don't do anything I wouldn't do._" - Korra rose her index finger in front of Naga's nose - "_Including waking her up._"

The polar bear-dog rose and started to look at sleeping Asami. Korra rolled her eyes and silently walked out of the room.

She went into the kitchen. Took a cup. Poured water. She hesitated weather to use her firebending for heating the water or to heat it 'the traditional way'. As it was only one cup, she decided to firebend. She put in some tea lives and heated her cup. She found a candle in the cupboard, lit it and sat it on the table. She walked towards the window and looked outside. The bright darkness. She heard some people of the tribe call it like that: the dark night, that was bright due to the white snow and the moon. Sometimes just the snow was enough for the 'bright darkness'. But Korra liked it more with the moon. Maybe it was because of the stories about princess Yue. "Now that I think about it, I imagine Yue being Asami with white hair..." - she mind-chuckled.

Korra took a small sip of the tea - it was pleasantly warm with slight natural sweet taste. Just like Iroh said - if tea is prepared well, no additional substances is needed to bring the best taste.

Korra stood and gazed through the window. Watching the clear dark sky with sometimes not-so-random composition of stars. She directed her eyes towards the far horizon. Somewhere down there stands Republic city. Torn, scared (from the word 'scar'). A town with young history, yet his history was renewed so often, that it is safe to say, the town has few beginnings. And it will have yet another one. "They are lucky to have Asami..." - sip - "I wonder who helped to build Aang and Lord Zuko the city in the first place? They needed to have someone at least half as smart as Asami..." - sip. Smile to herself - "I need to stop praising her - she might get spoiled. Besides, no matter how amazing she is, she's not perfect. And still a human. I'm just glad she's perfectly imperfect for **me**." - sip. Still in the honey moon phase. Despite the long history they have.

Korra closed her eyes, took a deep breath. Walked towards the table. Sat down. Looked into the candle. The fire. It could destroy so many things. So many lives. But now, it looked so calm, warm and comforting. No, fire itself wasn't a bad thing. Just as nothing was. Misuse was a bad thing. Zaheer flashed in her head: "Misinformation was a bad thing". Kuvira flashed: "Pain was..." - she stopped the forming thought - "No. Pain itself wasn't a bad thing either. Pain can give growth." - her thoughts stopped for a moment - "Loneliness was a bad thing.". Imagines starting flashing in her head. Mako, Bolin, Lin, Tenzin, the airbender kids, Su, Su's children and husband, her parents, Toph, Iroh sitting at the table with spirits and playing Pai Sho while eating spirit cake, Naga... and Asami. They. "Maybe they are the reason I and Kuvira went separate ways..."

Hiroshi flashed. Korra froze. Her eyes went wider. "Asami. What about her? She lost her mother. Then lost her father. Twice. Despite that, she never had difficulties doing the right thing..."

She went quiet for a moment until: "Yeah, but she had friends after that. And me. And also, her parents didn't leave her. They...well, her father did the first time, but still...they were taken away from her. And not walked out on her..."

"But isn't this more painful in a way?"

Wait. Is he having an argument with herself..?

Looks like it.

Ok then.

"Where were we...? Right. The pain of being left versus being robbed of the loved ones"

"That's stupid. Whatever the situation, the pain is big. And the only thing that makes the difference is what you make out of this pain. What you do to heal it. How you choose to heal it. And the only thing that really helps is building relationships, bonds with other people. Finding those, that love you and those, that you can love."

"Loneliness is bad."

"Yeah, I think we agreed... I mean, I agreed... on that... with myself."

"Oh right. Sorry."

"So I think I agreed on? This strange discussion is over?"

Her head went quiet for a moment.

"_Ok. This is ridiculous. I need to stop talking to myself._" - she said out loud. Probably hoping to shut the voice(s) in her head.

After it was silent both inside and outside her head. She took another sip while looking back to the burning candle. Finally - some quiet time.

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Note: it wrote itself. I have nothing to do with everything that happened when Korra sat down by the candle...


	19. Ch 19: Plans for the last day in South

"_How did it happen, that I went to sleep with you, but woke up with Naga?_" - Asami asked after walking on Korra, who felt asleep in the kitchen on the table. Asami brushed Korra's hair and press a kiss to her head. Korra moved her sleepy eyes towards Asami. - "_Korra, you look even more tired than yesterday when we went to bed!_ _I'll make some tea._" - Asami withdraw her hands from Korra's shoulders and moved towards the tea pot - "_So, what's the story behind Naga being in the bed and not you? I opened my eyes and there was a white ball of fur snoring sweetly next to me. For a moment I thought you transformed into polar bear-dog. Only when Naga grumpily turned away and crawled out of the bed and walked to me, after I said your name, did I understood that it wasn't you._" - Asami turned back to Korra - "_Did you two have a fight?_" - the thought of that and the mere picture of how this could happen, as well as about what, made Asami feel contradictory - it was both funny and troubling - Naga was the spirit animal of Korra after all.

Korra stood up and walked towards Asami to get a proper morning hug and a kiss - a ritual she got so easily used to. Afterwards, she put her head on her wife's shoulder: "_It was nothing. Naga was being... a bad best friend. She didn't like that I left the bed so I suggested to take my place if she was so worried that you can get cold or to make sure you're safe._"

Asami had a great imagination (that's what made her a great inventor and problem solver) so the flashing images of all the situation came into her mind. She could not hold her giggle inside: "_How sweet of her..._" - Asami brushed Korra's hair with her right hand, her left still holding Korra around the waist - "_But why did you leave the bed? Did you have a nightmare I missed? Did something else happened?_" - Asami was worried. Up until now she was sure she would know if something would bother Korra. She remembered the days after Zaheer. How Korra used to screamed into the pillow so that no-one would hear. But she heard, because she never left further then the next paper-wall.

"_No, nothing. I just woke up. And I think I didn't want to sleep. Not that I could sleep or didn't want to, but I didn't want to..._" - after saying it loud, Korra seemed sure she wasn't explaining what happened very well - "_I'm not making this any clearer for you, do I?_" - disappointment was clearly heard in her voice.

Asami stoke her back few times for reassurance: "_Don't worry, I understand - you weren't sleepless. You just didn't want to miss the moment._"

Korra straighten up again and tightened her grip around her wife. She was so lucky to have such a wonderful girl by her side: "_Yeah._" - there was a moment of silence before Korra spoke again: "_And as it turned out, I had some things to say to myself. Speaking with oneself if one of the strangest things that can happen. And I was a blue giant spirit!_"

Asami chuckled. At that time, the tea pot was hot. They let go each other. Korra went back to the table while Asami poured their cups.

"_So, tomorrow back to the city... have some request for our last day?_" - Korra asked before taking a sip of warm tea her body was waiting for.

"_I would like to visit Katara, if you don't mind..._" - Asami said gingerly.

"_Really? We just saw her..._"

"_I know. But we made a promise to come and visit more often. And after we come back to the city, it will be work again. I'm not sure that we will be able to find time to come here for few days. The city needs to be rebuild. I'm sure Raiko is complaining about our 'irresponsible acts' as it is. Varrik and Zhu Li still haven't came back from their honey moon, so there are no-one to start rebuilding the city._"

Korra knew Asami was right - it will be 'all work - no fun' after tomorrow. And who knows how long will this lasts. Last time rebuilding the city took three years. Of course, this time, she will be there working side-by-side with Asami (well, not litterally), but still...

"_Sure. We can go visit Katara in the afternoon. Or do you want to go there after the breakfast?_"

"_Afternoon is good. We'll have some time with your parents and maybe with Naga to play in the snow also._"

"_Oh! That is easily compatible! My dad loves snow fights! And I'm sure my mom would love to fight on your team - she likes you very much._"

Asami was nervous about Korra's parents for some time. She catches herself still being nervous around them. But they have been nothing less than warm and almost overly welcoming. But playing snow fight with them still felt a bit strange.

"_Don't worry._" - Korra took Asami's palm - "_I said to you already - they love you._" - Korra didn't managed to say that, like many things around here, their domestic snow fight could grow into all tribe snow fight... Nah, Asami didn't needed to know that now. When this will happen, then she could know.

"_Korra..?_"

"_Yes...?_"

"_I would also loved to go see the ice again. Before sunset. I know it's not the same as dawn, but..._"

She was cut off by Korra and her burning with excitement eyes: "_Let's do it!_ _It'll be beautiful!_"

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Notes: not sure if i should write about the snow fight and their visit to the ice... Katara and snow fight happened during day-time so it kind of falls out of the time frame. But just to say: snow fight did turn out to be a all tribe fight. One by one (sometimes by two of few) people joined the chief, the avatar, their wives and the polar bear-dog and eventually everybody was throwing snow balls at each other - they just needed to choose the side: the chief-avatar or the wives.


	20. Ch 20: Sleepless Asami

This time it was Asami who woke up in the middle of the night. Korra was sleeping on her belly, smiling face turned to Asami and her left hand was tightly holding the engineer while her right was under the pillow. She looked happily calm, peaceful, for once in long time, no world to carry on her shoulders. Watching her wife, Asami felt the love inside her growing even more. She felt how the time stopped. Korra had always a rationally not understandable effect on her, but feeling the time stop or the universe disappear every time they kissed (with her tummy doing flip-flops like no circus acrobat could, heart running from toes to ear tips, to the ends of her hair), hugged or when she was watching her sleeping wife, seemed a bit too much. "Will this feeling ever stop? Will it fade? Subside? And if it does, will it mean that my love for her is also fading, subsiding? I can't imagine that happening. I'm so happy to have found her now. I wouldn't mind finding her even earlier. She makes me feel so... cosy."

Asami pressed a kiss to Korra's naked cheek. As a reaction to that, Korra smiled even more through her sleep and tightened her hand around Asami even more.

"My mistake for thinking that a kiss would release her grip. Guess I need to find another way to break free." - Asami thought looking around trying not to move too much so she wouldn't wake her wife.

Asami stroke through Korra's left hand few times softly. From the shoulder to the knuckles. Then back.

Not much of effect.

Asami put her fingers on Korra's left hand fingers and started to stroke them. Her thumb on Korra's thumb. Her index finger on Korra's index finger. Her middle finger on Korra's middle finger. Her ring finger on Korra's ring finger. Her pinky on Korra's pinky.

She stroke the tip of her fingers to Korra's knuckles. Slow and cautiously, barely touching Korra's skin. She stroke to Korra's nails. She stopped a bit there. Drew small circles on them. Went to touch the top-tip of Korra's fingers. At that time, her pinky and thumb were floating in the air - they were too short. But the touch of the three other fingers were enough to send shivers down her spine.

She draw again some circles on Korra's nails. Bigger and bigger. The invisible circles reached the tip segment of Korra's fingers. Then they switched to the middle segment. The circles turned into stokes again. Back to the knuckles. Few cautious circles around them. And back to the nails again. Slowly. Even more slowly than before. Asami could feel her own finger skin irregularities on the texture and the pattern of Korra's skin.

Korra's grip loosened up. Her muscles released some of the unconscious tension that was keeping Asami so close at her side and also almost immobilized the so, usually, flawlessly moving engineer.

Asami turned on her back. She decided that rolling out would be the least disturbing way to get out of the bed.

Korra's hand clenched on Asami. "Usually I wouldn't mind her not letting me go, but this is getting out of hands." - Asami looked at the holding hand - "Well, definitely not literally."

She started to stoke Korra's fingers again. This time she went faster. But she was lucky - it worked again.

This time, she did two slow, yet inpatient rolls to get out of the bed. Korra's hand slowly landed on the empty space and as it did, Korra made some sounds, that were a clear display of her dissatisfaction. The smile, that formally bighted her face, was gone. She looked like a grumpy old lady now. Asami chuckled at the image silently being glad that with everything, Korra somehow still managed to sleep. To feel everything what Asami was doing, but still be asleep - yet another mystery from being with Korra.

But she loved them - that kind of riddles.

Naga raised her head and looked at Asami. Asami put a finger to her lips. Naga looked at a sleeping Korra. Then back to Asami, who was tip-toeing out of the room. Asami caught the questioning polar bear-dog. By this time, she almost got used to the very much humanly nature of Naga. (Korra was right - every living being must be treated as a person.)

"_I'm going out a bit._" - Asami said with her voice very low while leaning to Naga. The animal guide looked to her avatar.

"_Please keep an eye on her. I don't want her to get scared if she wakes up. Ok, girl?_" - Asami petted Naga. Naga answered with a lick.

"_Thanks', Naga. I knew I can count on you._" - Asami straightened up and continued to walk out of the room. Naga, in the mean time, walked towards the bed to sleep on the ground next to Korra.

Asami walked through the dark rooms. She didn't want to have any kind of light source. The darkness was comfortable. Intimate. And she thought that light will only disturb the wholeness. Plus, by this time, she knew where what was. And it's not like she got out to get something. She just got out. To be here. To sunk this place, this atmosphere into herself deeper.

She walked around the hole touching every inch of the wall. She opened the door to the library. She stroke the silhouettes of books, neatly placed in large bookshelves that stretched from the floor to the ceiling. "Why did we decided to spend the last day at the Royal Palace? Why couldn't we stay at the old house?"

"Because of Korra's parents."

"But they could have stayed there together with us."

"True."

"So why?"

"I guess... I don't know..." - so much help from herself...

There was a round table and few sitting pillows in the middle of the library. The were no usual windows, but the moon light managed to penetrate through the window cupola, design to capture every light beam coming from the sky. "As it looks, I didn't manage to avoid the light completely." - Asami continued to speak in her mind lifting her eyes to the cupola. The light reminded her of that night. That night. That night they ditched their own wedding.

Asami chuckled. "Is this our thing? To ditch weddings?" - she closed her eyes - "I think we'll have to wait for the next one to see the trend..." - she opened her eyes. The light penetrated into them. But it didn't irritate them. It was a pleasant, soft light. "Moon spirit. The beautiful, nice lady, huh? Who gave up her life, her love to save her people..."

"_You seem to be like someone I know... You know her too, right..?_" - she went quiet as if she waited to hear an answer. But all she could hear was the complete silence surrounding her.

Asami looked back at the room full of books. She turned full circle. Stopped at the door sight and walked towards them.

She then continued to the doors leading outside. She opened the closet to take her jacket and boots but stopped with her hand already stretched. She moved it towards Korra's jacket and boots. There were no pants there, so she wrapped two other jackets around her legs. She didn't know whose they were, nor that it mattered.

She opened the door and walked out. The freshness with cold air hit her nose. But she didn't mind that. The white glitter of the snow grew so much on her by now. "A cup of tea. I could have brought a cup of tea..."

She walked. The direction or the destination didn't matter. She just wanted to walk. To hear the snow crunch under her feet. "Maybe living here wouldn't be that bad..."

Asami took her eyes from the snow back to the surroundings. She tried to imagine the old Harbour city, the one Katara was telling about. "It would be so interesting to experience that. Katara's life sounded so interesting and so different from what it is today... To think that they flew with the first airships..!"

She then remembered all the other things that came with Katara's stories: the oppression, the greed for power, constant danger to their life, sorrow...

She remembered her own life...

The sounds of the snow stopped.

Her eyes fell to the ground. For a moment she didn't see anything except the flashing images of her life. Then, somewhere in between the flashes, she managed to distinguish the silhouette of the boots she was wearing. Korra's boots. Suddenly, the only images her brain was showing her was those of her and Korra. Together. First meeting. The pool. The test drive. Learning to drive. Fighting bandits. Stuck in the desert. She sleeping in a chair next to Korra while holding her hand. Korra's letter. The hug. Them fighting again side by side. The first wedding they ditched. Standing in front of spirit portal. Their changing sleeping arrangements in the spirit world. The time when they got lost in the spirit world. Their coming back. Talk at the gazebo. Their wedding. Them ditching their own wedding. The out-of-the-body experience. And... the kiss. The kiss. The first kiss.

Her tummy did yet another perfect flip-flop. She shivered. Her jaws clenched spasmodic-ly.

Her lips curled into a smile. Whatever happened in her life, she has Korra now.

An image of her waking up next to Naga flashed. Asami laughed. "And Naga."

She raised her head again. Took a deep breath. She felt the cold air penetrate her throat, bronchia and, eventually, reach her alveoli, entering the blood stream and spreading throughout her body. She smiled again. Never in her life had she felt her body so much as she did here. Now.

Asami started to see all the houses. The big city, the ships. She started to 'see' all the people that were currently sleeping. She wondered if she knew who they were. She knew she saw them. She was sure of that because all of them were present at their wedding. All of them. They all were happy and cheered for her as if they knew her all their life. They fought side by side with her against her wife, father-in-law and the rest of the tribe, who sided with them. Among them was Bolin, Mako, the airbenders, Beifong family.

Family.

No. It wasn't just Korra and Naga that she had. She had all of them. Everyone, who was here. Sleeping in those houses. Holding their wives, husbands. Making breakfast for their sons and daughters. Carrying for one another. As if they were one big family. "_No. Not "as if". They __**were**__ one big family!_" - she said smiling.

Few moments later, she heard snow behind her and turned around. She saw a figure, who was sleepy rubbing eyes. Slippers and pyjama. Asami knew exactly who it was.

"_Hey! What 'cha doing? Is this your way of paying me back because of left the bed that night and Naga took my place? I won't do that again! I promise!_" - Korra's voice was sleep-sleepy. Asami didn't understand how she managed to come here. Unless she was sleepwalking. But Korra never showed that she was doing that, so she must be awake. Sort of.

"_Sorry. I just wanted to get a good look at everything one last time before we leave. I think I felt in love with this place. The cold weather is a complete contrast with the people living here..._"

"_Don't tell me you want to take them **all** to Republic city... You know they won't leave, right? Well, maybe not all of them, but many of them for sure._"

Asami giggled. She opened Korra's jacket she now was wearing and pulled Korra into a hug from behind: "_No, I don't want to do that. But I'd love to live in such a community. I wish that people in Republic city were more like that... Nobody here even have a lock on their door!_"

"_Because that would be meaningless! Besides, what if someone needed to come and borrow some salt while nobody was home? If people would have locks, then they would have to give a key to everyone. And everybody would end up carrying a bunch of keys. Asami, you should know that this would be very very impractical._"

Asami was amused by the serious tone of Korra: "_I know, love, I know._" She pressed a kiss to Korra's neck - "_I love you. And I think, during our time here, I felt in love with your home-place._"

Korra was breathing deeply. As if she was sleeping again. Standing there in slippers, pyjamas and Asami.

Asami was standing there too. With Korra's boots, Korra's jacket, somebody else's jackets (most probably it was her mother and father -in-law). 'Mother'... 'Father'... They weren't really hers but they did felt like...home. She took another look at the houses. Suddenly in one evening she went from being alone, to being with a whole nation. She was standing with everybody. She mused quietly: "_Welcome home, Asami. Welcome home..."_ \- she tightened her grip around her stand-sleeping wife.


	21. Ch 21: Korra has hard time asking Asami

They entered the air space of Republic city. Their trip was quiet and lazy. They landed at the air temple island to let Tenzin with his family and Beifongs. At least that's what Asami thought...

"_I'm going out too..._" - Korra said as-a-matter-of-factly.

"_Aren't we going back to the mansion? You know we can't live here forever..._" - Asami could not get what was going on with Korra. Was it hard for her to switch places and she needed some more time..?

"_Yeah, I know that, but I'm just... um..._" - her cheeks are started to paint the colour of red.

"_Korra..?_" - Asami genuinely didn't understand what was the cause of such a display of shyness.

Korra still had hard time to find her place, her composure. She took few deep breath: "_Asami...?_"

"_Yes..?_"

"_I would like to ask, if you'll... go out with me... maybe... sometime..._" - she raised her head to look into Asami's eyes. Her cheeks were bright red.

"_Sure I will, Korra. Where?_" - Asami still didn't understand why was it so hard to ask this question. They were married. Did Korra forgot what happened at the South Pole..?

"_I mean...like on a date... Will You go out on a date with me..?_"

"_On a date?_" - and here Asami got completely lost.

"_Yeah. Everything happened so fast: the vocation, the wedding. We didn't even got a chance to go on a date. And I really like to do that. I mean... I really like to date you... Before we move in together..._"

"_Really? Okay._" - Asami finally got it. Completely got it. Imprinted in her head: "common sense does not work with the avatar. Or Korra.". That wasn't exactly true. Korra had great common sense. Only not when it came to their romantic relationship.

"_I'll pick you up at eight:forty?_"

"_Okay. Come to the mansion then._"

"_Great! I'll be there!_"

"_It's a date then._" - Asami said with a hair flip. Korra just managed to gasp at the view, nodded and started to run towards her room at the Air temple island.

"What a strange girl you are, avatar..." - Asami thought to herself watching Korra's back.


	22. Ch 22: The preparations for the date

Korra was both excited and nervous. But this time being nervous felt good. She was happy to feel like that. Not knowing what to wear, how to make her hair. It seemed that she was worrying more now than she did during the wedding day. How was that even possible?!

Ikki and Jinora entered her room without knocking.

"_You ready yet? Is this your first date? How come you go on a date with Asami now? Where are you taking her? Are you going to kiss? Have you kissed her already? Daddy says you aren't allowed to kiss the person before you are married, but I saw Jinora doing that with Kai..._"

How was that even possible for a person to blurt out so many questions in one breath - Korra still didn't understand...

"_Shut-up, Ikki._" - Jinora's older sister/air master voice tried to discipline the speed-talker. Almost successfully, since Ikki answered sticking her tongue out, but her question charade didn't renew.

Ikki might be older, but she still has her personality. Which might not be a bad thing...

"_But really, way are you going on a date? Isn't it a bit too late for that? Shouldn't you go on a honey moon, move in together and live happily ever after?_" - the influence of all the love romances Jinora had read seemed to flow overboard now.

Korra was knitting her thought and opening her mouth when Ikki interrupted.

"_What's in this_ box?" - she asked pointing a finger to the table - "_Wait..._" - Ikki took a step closer to the box to get a better look - "_Is this make-up?_"

Ikki looked at Korra questionably. Busted. At that time, Korra turned all red clearly wondering why she was living here and why she didn't have a lock.

"_Are you going to put some make-up to look pretty for Asami?_" - obviously, Ikki wasn't finished with her questions. - "_Do you know how to use it? Have you done this before?_"

Finally, Korra knew what to say: "_Aren't you two supposed to be in bed..? Or training..?_" - she hoped to get the girls out of her room by playing the 'your strict dad card' and if that wouldn't work ...

"_It's six o'clock - we're way passed that age to go to bed at six._" - it was Jinora and her all-grown-up voice.

Ikki probably didn't noticed any of that as she still continued her questions about make-up and Korra: "..._You know that you can end up looking worse if you'll use it in the wrong way, right? I saw one of our new airbenders tried to put make-up when daddy and Jinora wasn't there - she looked scary..._" - the image of a girl with black-brown eyelashes, green eyebrows, red circles on cheeks, white forehead and **way** too red lips came back to her. She shaken all of her body trying to throw out the mental image - it was still scary...

This got Korra's attention: "_What wrong way?_" - she was out of the compound and into the world, she has seen the world wondering through it on her own, but only now did she realized, that she never gave a thought about make-up... Any other than 'Asami looks... snazzy' that is...

"_You know: the wrong colour, intensity, shade... There's a whole article about that and I think they'll start to make science out of it too. They probably got too many people doing it the wrong way and scarring one another, so now they want to train them...At least some of them..._"

Korra clearly wasn't too happy to hear that there is a whole science stuffy to the whole make-up thingy. "Oh, c'mmon! How hard can it be! It's just some stuff you put on your face that makes you look in a way, that people 'wow' after looking at you! It just can't be that hard! It can't!" - Korra obviously was in denial when listening to Ikki. But then she remembered her first meeting with that stuff people put on their faces to make their skin look nicer years ago... - "Ok, so it might be ju-u-u-st a little tricky..."

"_Oh! I know! You can ask Asami to help you!_" - the enthusiasm of Ikki was overflowing.

"_Ikki, that's something she can't do._" - Jinora responded as if Korra wasn't even there - "_She's obviously wants to impress Asami and she wouldn't be able to do that if she asked her for help._" - Jinora ended her sentence with a sight and an eye roll.

"_Oh right! How could I forgot that!_" - Ikki scolded herself pressing her fists to her chest, elbows at her sides.

If Korra wasn't very surely looking at that box before these two came in, she sure now had her knees tremble. Definitely not a good prelude for the big evening with her wife.

"_You know that Asami will love the way you look no matter what you wear or put on you, right..?_" - Jinora tried to calm Korra down.

"_Yeah, I know._" - sight - "_I just wanted...you know...to knock her of her feet...so she would see me and say "wow!". At least for once to put her in my shoes..._" - another sight. Her hands fell on her knee, her eyes fell to her hands.

Jinora and Ikki exchanged glances and walked towards Korra, sat down on either side of her.

"_I'm sure she does feel like that. Even if she doesn't show it..._" - Jinora put a hand on Korra's shoulder. Korra looked at her.

"_Yeah! You're beautiful too!_" - Korra looked to the now speaking Ikki - "_And I'm sure Asami loves you the way you are. She might even not like you with the make-up. __**Even**__ if you'd put it right._" - Ikki put her hand on Korra's other shoulder.

"_Thank's girls._" - Korra smiled to the sisters.

She continued after a moment: "_Now that the make-up problem is solved, there's still the other one..._" - Korra now had protruding eyes filled with hopeful almost-begging - "_What should I wear..?!_"

.

.

.

.

Asami was done with her work and was on her way to the mansion. Sometimes she'd call it home, sometimes - mansion. She wasn't sure what was the main reason for the name-calling.

She was calm. At least on the outside. Inside, she was nervous. Maybe excited would be a more precise word. She was looking for a date with her wife. At first, she though this idea was... funny. Interesting, but funny. But now, on her way to the mansion (she just made a decision to permanently call it home when Korra will move in with her), the more she thinks about the date, the more nervous she's getting. "Wait, nervous? I was just excited... seconds ago... Why should I be nervous? It's not like she'll leave me if the date won't go perfectly... ...right..?" - all the years without Korra ran through her head. She wasn't sure she'll be able to go through all that again... She made a promise to herself, she won't let this happen again. She won't be separated from Korra for that long. Ever. Even if that's what Korra would want to. Asami won't let her be. And Korra will just have to deal with it.

Asami even didn't notice, how in the midst of all those thoughts she started to press the accelerator. Few minutes and she's at the mansion.

She has plenty of time to prepare. Two hours and forty minutes - that's more than enough for her to prepare. That's why Asami walked into the mansion without any hurry. "Should I go have something to eat? Or will we go on a dinner somewhere?" - Asami's stomach growled - "Well, that's answers the question." - she gave herself a small smirk and turned to the kitchen. She baked herself an egg with a small bowl of vegetables and some rise. She was eating slowly, feeling how her head turned empty - it was tired after today's work after all. When she was done, Asami went to boil some more tea. She sat down with a cup and looked through the window - she was glad that the mansion wasn't standing in the city...

Her eyes turned around the kitchen. "I wonder how Korra will change things around here...". And then, her eyes stumbled upon the clock...

"_What?! It can't be that late?! I just sat down to have a bite!_"

Asami haphazardly put the dishes in the sink and ran to her bedroom. She dicarded all her closes and ran to have a quick shower - no matter that there were only an hour and twenty minutes left, she won't go on a date (with her wife, none the less!) without washing her work.

If she didn't needed to wash her hair, Asami would be able to prepare in twenty minutes, but her hair needed time to dry. Of course having a waterbender would be very useful - it would shorten the preparation time considerably, but she didn't have any near by... At least not now...

"_Ok, Asami, stop dreaming about what it'd be like to have your wife living with you and start preparing to go on a date with her._" - she said firmly while looking at the mirror - "_You could have eaten after the shower and the hair would have had plenty of time to dry... So maybe you aren't as smart as everyone is saying..._".

Did she just imagined, or did Asami-in-the-mirror just rolled her eyes at her..? She's not going crazy...is she..?

After few more moments of staring at the Asami-in-the-mirror, she took another dry towel and went with it through her hair trying to suck as much water as possible.

Dress. She definitely need to find a dress. A beautiful one. She opened the door of her closet. She wanted to put on something Korra haven't seen yet.

No.

Not that one either.

Not this one.

No.

This is just a skirt.

Although a nice one...

...no. Still no.

"_Why is this so hard? I remember it being way easier than this!_" - she grunted her teeth. And sighted - "_I needed to swing by my tailor on the way back... Now I don't have anything to wear..._"

Some part of the brain felt, that she was exaggerating.

She closed her eyes, took a few deep breaths. "Calm down, Asami."

And she finally listened to herself. She opened her eyes and took a new look at her wardrobe. She spotted a dark cherry dress.

"_Yes! That one!_"

.

.

Half an hour later the there was a knock on the door...


	23. Ch 23: The first date

After knocking few times, Korra was standing there impatiently shifting from one foot to the other. Her eyes were nervously wandering through the space: the ground, her feet, the big carved wooden door. "Did she changed the doors? I don't remember them being so beautiful..."

It was a good thing that Korra got distracted - this was the first time after she asked Asami on a date that she wasn't feeling her nerves leading her on the dance floor.

Asami heard the knock on the doors and felt her pulse jumping few gears straight to the high one. "This is something new..." - her always analysing head thought. And only few moments later she remembered that she need to walk to the doors to open them. She tried to hurry up but she still saw Korra already impatiently jumping from foot to foot.

Asami opened the door only to find a totally zoned-out Korra. It took the Avatar few more blinks to see the changed view - the doors gone and... and...

Gulp.

And the view was indeed...worth forgetting to breath.

Asami looked at Korra with fondness. Her wife was standing here in front of her with that wonderful slim-fit sleeveless (hm..) long dress with quite the split that ended just above her knee. Of course splits were just natural on a slim-fit dress but Asami had never seen Korra wearing such a dress. Wait, did she (Asami) just blushed..? They even didn't exchanged "Hi" and she is already blushing..? Korra had definitely broken her.

"_Hi_."- Asami finally said after a gulp and a slight clear of her throat, which Korra had missed.

Korra cleared her thoat: "_Yeah. Hi. You look... great._"

Though she went quiet, the her mind went on: "Breath in. Breath out. Breath in. Breath out. Shoot! She did it again! Breath in. Breath out. Breath in. Breath out. That's stupid, right..? Breath in. Breath out. Hey! I can breathe on my own! Look at her..!"

"_Thanks! I'm loving Your dress..._" -, "Yeah, that's it, Asami, keep it together. She's all yours for the rest of your lives.". Korra wasn't the only one with voices in the head...

"_Thanks..._" - a shadow of disappointment managed to get into Korra's voice. A disappointment that she didn't manage to knock the air of Asami's lungs. Not literally of course but still it would have been nice to impress her for once...

"_So where are we going?_" - Asami asked closing the gap between her and Korra and simultaneously closing the door.

A lopsided smile appeared on Korra's face: "_That's a surprise._"

"_Oh..!_"

"_Yeah. And since I don't know how to drive..._" - she took a step to the side so that Asami would be able to see something. It was Mako. All dressed up as a driver.

He was standing leaning on the Satomobile: "_Hey._" - he waved to Asami.

The engineer could not keep her chuckle away: "_Hey, Mako. How did you end up here?_" - "This should be...fun." - over the years of Korra being away, Asami didn't met Mako so often. Nevertheless, he was a good friend. He was happy for both of them when they got married, but he being the chauffeur on their first date - that still was a bit... interesting.

Korra took Asami by her hand, interlacing their fingers and they walked towards the satomobile. Mako sat down in the driver's seat - Korra gave very clear instructions not to do anything more than just drive.

Korra opened the door and kept her hand for Asami to get in the car. Even though the engineer wasn't a fragile flower, she enjoyed the attentiveness of her wife. And Korra was pleased with herself to please her wife, so it was yet another win-win for both of them.

As soon as they settled in, Mako started to drive. Korra didn't exchange a word with him. She had told him about the date plan before hand, so that during the date all of her attention would be on her wife - the wonderful, breath stealing Asami Sato.

"_So Mako is allowed to use his police satomobile for this? Does Lin know about this?_" - everything was already interesting and going to a secret date location in a police satomobile didn't gave the situation any flavour of the 'usual'.

"_Lin knows about this. I asked her if I can borrow Mako for a top-secret world-balance importance mission. She gave me that "I-know-you-up-to-something" look but after few seconds, she gave me the all-good-to-go. And told me to take her satomobile instead, since Mako will be driving. I know it's not the satomobiles you're used to..._" - Korra's voice went weak. She wanted it to be perfect and this was the not-so-perfect thing. It was hard to impress Asami Sato with luxury...

"_It's great! The last time I rode one of these, I was in handcuffs and in the box. And Future industries put some extra effort to please the Chief of police, so it's an upgraded satomobile. Besides, you're here._" - she pressed herself closer to Korra and gave her a kiss to the cheek - "_It can't be any better than this._"

Asami knew the city better than anyone, so she was more than curious to see what Korra was up to.

Korra was very persistent to keep the windows darken so she wasn't able to see the outside. It took them about 48 minutes to come to a stop.

"_Close your eyes._"

Asami looked a bit surprised but she was happy of the unknown Korra had set up for her. She had no worries, only calm curiosity and excitement.

Korra stepped out and held Asamis hand. When Asami turned to step out, Korra took her other hand and help Asami step on the ground with both of her feet.

Asami felt it was... grass..? It surely didn't feel as concrete. Now she was even more curious.

She took few steps and heard the satomobile driving off. "Oh! Okey... So we will walk...all the way back..." - the thought of their coming back means suddenly came to Asami.

Korra gentely and slowly led Asami. She stopped. Walked behind Asami. And slowly took her blindfold off.

Asami felt Korra leaning to her. The avatar's breath slightly brushing her shoulder blade, neck. Her hands slightly touching the hair, releasing the scarf, that was used to make sure she would not peek. Korra's finger lightly touched her back with the scarf in hand. Asami didn't open her eyes. She was all too into the slight touches of her wife. Of the close proximity they shared.

Korra leaned even more. Her lips was 1.6 centimetres away from Asami's right ear. Asami heard as Korra inhaled.

"_You can open your eyes now, Spring-girl._" - the worlds slowly escaped Korra's mouth and went straight for Asami's ear. The sound surfing on a wave of warm air.

Asami slowly did as she was told with Korra standing frozen behind her with the blindfold scarf enfolding Asami from front as Korra kept both ends at Asami's sides.

And there it was, right in front of her eyes. A combination of earth, water and even metal bending somewhere in the forest of one of the hills surrounding Republic city.

"_Did you...? How...? Today..?!_" - ok, that wasn't an appropriate sentence, but Korra should be able to understand her.

The avatar was standing all so pleased with herself to finally manage to steal the words from the all-so-composed-and-being-able-to-keep-her-cool-in-all-situations wife.

"_I am the avatar, you know?..._

_...and also Kya and Bolin might have helped me a bit...Meelo too..._" - the second part was a bit lower for whatever the reason...

There were big ice obelisks at corners each carved with their history and adventures together.

There was a table made from earth and some chairs also made from earth. But it wasn't just chunks of stone, dirt and mud. They were carefully crafted and reminded more of sculpture models that she saw in some workshops while visiting some artist in her teen years.

On the table there was a bouquet of metal flowers standing up straight. Their blooms where shining. Asami didn't manage to fully understand how, but they were shining. And their light was bouncing from the ice obelisks highlighting the reliefs and scattering the light.

She turned to face Korra.

"_I didn't know there was hidden artist in you. Everything is very beautiful. Thank You._" - she was leaned and gave Korra a kiss to her cheek.

Korra's grin just grew and for a minute, she forgot what the plan for this date was (there was a plan, right..?).

As Asami walked towards one of the obelisk showing their fight with Vaatu, Korra trailed her with eyes.

"_Are you ok with this? I know they all aren't the happiest memories. Why would you want to put them?_" - Asami asked as she looked back at Korra.

"_They are a part of our story. If it wasn't for Mako and the equalist revolution, we might have never met. If it wasn't for the civil war and Vaatu, we wouldn't had a place for our vocation and the search for the airbenders, and so we might not have grew closer. If it wasn't for Kuvira, Varrick might not have proposed to Zhu Li and we might not have a chance to ditch their wedding._"

Korra walked towards Asami and gave her a hug.

"_I'm sorry. I know that some of those stories are hard for you._"

Asami wrapped her hands around Korra's neck. Tears were forming in her eyes as she remembered her father.

"_It's ok. You are right. Despite being sad in their own way, they are what brought us together. And for that I am grateful. Thank You, Sky-girl._" - she pressed her lips to Korra's to give her a short kiss. But even with that short lip touch, electricity ran through her body.

"_You're very welcome._" - Korra settled her head on Asami's shoulder, then suddenly she lifted it back again, so she could look into her wife's eyes - "_Wait. "Sky-girl"? I'm water tribe, you know that, right? Or did you confused me with someone else..?_"

Asami chuckled at such a worried looking avatar.

"_No. I'm here with the exact person I want to be. And sea is not the only thing that is blue. The sky is blue too._"

Korra eased and giggled awkwardly: "_Oh... Yeah, you're right._"

Even though the few moments of silence where comfortable, Korra's stomach broke it.

"_Hehehe. Sorry about that. What to have dinner with me here?_"

"_I'd love to! I guess neither of us had the time to eat. And also, since it's a dinner date, I assumed we will have dinner together..._" - but the food was nowhere to be seen. It would be strange to set up table and chairs just so...

"_Great! Pema helped me prepare some food! It should still be warm!_" - Korra let Asami go and walked outside the set up area, towards an opening that had no grass. She bended some earth up and there was lots of dishes full of food - "_I put some hot coal here earlier and bended all the food there so it won't get cold. My idea!_"

That was genius - the earth was a great temperature isolator. All that was missing was the heat source and hot coal was perfect for that! Asami felt herself falling a bit more for Korra here and now.

"_This was actually a great idea! Let me help you_."

They put everything on the table and got comfortable in the earth chairs Korra (or Bolin?) made.

"_You know, I could get used to this..._"

"_What..?_" - Korra asked between the bites.

"_You. Surprising me. Carrying of me. Being there._" - Asami reached for Korra's hand.

"_Asami, we're married. You're stuck with me. So you better get used to it._" - Korra said with a serious face.

"_And I'm not complaining about that. But I'm trying to act the way I would if it was just our first date." _-

"_Oh! Sorry._" - Korra tried to bury her embarrassment in a bowl of rice.

The meal was pleasantly warm and tasty. After it, Asami walked towards Korra and asked her for a dance. Korra put her hand on Asami's waist, took the other hand into her palm and they started to move slowly on the music of dancing leaves in the wind, chirr of crickets and an owl. At first, they kept the appropriate distance for a dance from each other, but soon enough both of them closed the gap and rested their heads on each other's shoulder with their eyes closed.

"_Thank You. It was the best first date I ever had._" - Asami slowly and softly whispered into Korra's ear.

"_I'm glad you liked it._" - Korra shifted trying to push herself closer to Asami burying her head in her wife's neck and hair.

"_I love You._" - Asami's voice was soft but sure.

Korra's heart pumped as if she had just ran to the North pole and back: "_I love You too._"

They looked into each other's eyes. Korra fondled Asami's cheek. The look in Asami's eyes was calm and frozen, stuck in the moment. She closed the gap between them pressing their lips together. Then opening them slightly catching Korra's lower lip. She gingerly stoke it with her tongue.

The felling of Asami's tongue on her lip surprised Korra. But milliseconds later, she eased and tightened her hug pushing herself and Asami closer and closer, if that was even possible. Korra opened her mouth and pushed her tongue to meet Asami's.

A shiver ran through both bodies. It seemed that the gut was doing somersaults. Eating might not have been a good idea...

Asami felt the tip of Korra's tongue meeting her own. It was a careful, cautious touch. As a puppy meets his first snow - he doesn't know what it is, but he's curious and intuit that he will like it.

Their tongues greeted and investigated one another by sliding through each other's sides. Then returning back to the tip. And sliding the other side. Asami retreated her tongue and enveloped Korra's with her lips. She tried to drag it inside of her more and more. As much as it was possible. Korra tasted... it wasn't sweet, nor was it bitter. Asami couldn't define the taste she felt. All she knew was that it was the best taste she ever had in life. Not to mention the sensation of the soft, warm and gentle tongue that was visiting her mouth now. Her breathing turned to be shallow and rapid. An uncontrolled moan escaped her. Her arms were trying to wrap around Korra a second circle. Seemed that Asami was losing it. The self control she always had over herself. Not that Korra was complaining. It was just a surprise for both of them. But they were too occupied to pay much attention to that.

Korra was surprised by the sudden pull she felt. The most pleasant surprise she ever got. The sensation in her body was gone. The only body-parts she still felt were her hands, lips and her tongue. Asami's hands on her neck. Asami's tongue stoking her tongue. Fondling her tongue. Korra's body went into uncontrolled shiver. Weak in the knees? She wished they were only weak. Her knees were failing as an overheated satoengine with a leaky cooling system. All rainbow colours were blinking in her eyes, abstract pictures changing like in a kaleidoscope, even though they were shut.

Asami drew circles around Korra's tongue with her own. Moan escaped her. Her essence, her emotions - her body was too small to contain them. They wanted to escape. With every touch her blood, or whatever it was inside her, grew larger and larger. The moan seem to be one way that her body chose to let the steam out a bit.

After playing with Korra's tongue in her mouth, she then pushed her way to Korra's mouth. She stretched her tongue to investigate and taste as much of Korra as she could reach. Her shut eyes were rolling as crazy from all this new sensation. Her mind was skipping thousand calculations and blueprints a second. And suddenly it went blank. But it wasn't black blank. It was blank blue. The same as it was when they first kissed. Her breathing smoothed and wasn't as rapid any more. She eased her grip around Korra's neck. Her tongue moved more slowly and not so thirsty.

Korra's tongue stroke the upper surface of Asami's. Their lips were mirroring each other with their movements. The dance of their tongues was slowing down. Asami slowly stroke the tip of Korra's tongue one last time. She then enfold Korra's upper lip with her own. Stayed there for few seconds. Then moved to her upper lip. Few seconds there. Then both lips. They glued to each other as opposite ends of a neodymium magnet.

After a while the touch broke.

"_Wow._" - was the only thing Korra managed to produce.

Asami smiled at such a reaction. Not that she wasn't wow-ed herself. This was the best thing she ever shared with someone. Best thing she experienced with someone.

They lingered in one another's arms. Feeling fulfilled, calm and at peace. They didn't move for some time.

"_Wanna go home?_" - the silence was finally broke by Korra. She distanced herself far enough to be able to look Asami in the eyes. The eyes, which warmly and lovingly looked back at her.

Asami put her right palm on Korra's cheek: "_Only if you come with me._"

The smile on Korra grew wide as the ocean itself: "_Let's do it._"

Asami gave Korra a quick kiss.

Korra pulled out a whistle and wanted to blow as Asami stopped her: "_I would like to walk...if you wouldn't mind..._"

Korra nodded, put away the whistle and took Asami by the hand.

"_Sooo...You always invite people to come with you to your place after first date..?_" - Korra asked playfully when they walked.

"_Only those, who shared a dried tiger seal tea with me._" - Asami answered with the same playful manner.

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Later few rain drops fell on them. After a few minutes the rain drops were falling more rapidly and in larger amounts. Korra raised her free right hand and started to make bending movements so that the water drops would not soak Asami and make her cold (and ruin Asami's clothes and hair).

"_No._" - Asami caught Korra's right hand - "_Leave it._" - their hands fell low - "_It's perfect._"

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Notes: ending inspired by Arina &amp; Veto Bank - Rain is Coming Down (great song). Not sure how the kiss description worked out. Also, sorry for the grammar mistakes - English is not my native language and choosing the right tense sometimes is hard. And also, sorry for the long delay - was gone for bigger part of summer doing a "PeaceWalk" across the Western Front (World War I).


	24. Ch 24: After the date

Korra came back to the air temple island only to find Ikki and Jinora.

_"You came back!_" - exclaimed Ikki - "_Uncle Bumi lost the bet.._"

"_Wha..?_" - Korra looked at both of them not understanding what was going on.

"_Why are you here? Shouldn't You be with Asami?_" - Jinora seemed to be sincerely confused seeing Korra.

"_We... um... we decided to take things slow..._" - Korra explained with her voice low.

"_Isn't that a bit too late for that?_" - a silhouette appeared.

"_That's what I said too, aunt Kya_" - Jinora noted.

"_Great minds think alike._" - Kya blinked to Jinora.

Korra wanted to take the opportunity and slip unnoticed into her room without having to explain her relationship to two teenagers who, as she learned years ago, read too many romance books, and a woman who, as far as she knew (or didn't knew?), hadn't had a long-term relationship.

But this wasn't about to happen...

"_So, why aren't you with Asami..?_" - Kya turned to catch a sneaking out Korra.

Korra sighted: "_I don't know!_" - she waved her hands in the air. Sighted again and sat down on the bench - "_It felt so right, so we got married. It was a rash decision, we got lost in the moment. But I think that neither of us want to miss that moment, you know? That dating time. Even though we are sure that we want to spend our lives together. Is it strange?_" - Korra looked hopefully at all three as if waiting to find some answers.

"_Oh, honey. It's not strange._" - Kya said sitting down next to Korra and putting a supporting arm on her shoulder - "_You do what makes you two happy, what feels good for both of you. And that's **all** that matters..._" - Kya gave her a shoulder squeeze.

Korra looked thankfully. Somehow Kya managed to calm her down and make sense of everything. Korra and Asami - that's all that matter. It was true. Kya was right.

"_So, how was the date? Did you like it? Where did you go? What did you do? Did you gave her flowers? Or was it she who gave you flowers?_" - Ikki squatted down at Korra's other side.

Korra looked a bit confused at Ikki. Then she noticed that all three was looking at her expectantly. Yet Korra still wasn't sure if she could share what happened during the date. She wanted though. It was so nice, that she wanted to tell the world about how happy she was.

Korra inhaled deeply, her face graced with a wide smile: "_It was great! I took her to a place Kya and Bolin helped me to set up, she was blindfolded, so she didn't see anything and when I took it off, she really loved it, and then we had very nice meal, and then we danced, and then..._" - Korra stopped her speedy word eruption remembering what happened next - the most incredible kiss she had so far. She turned red, so red, that it was visible even in the dim light.

Kya suddenly had this all-knowing smile. Jinora seemed to share it too.

"_...and then we walked back to her place. After that I came back here._" - so Korra missed few things but the girls didn't needed to know them...

"_Awhhhh_..." - Ikki and Jinora.

"_That's sounds nice._ _Looks like everything worked just the way you wanted._" - in some way, Kya was proud and also happy for the two girls.

"_Yeah..._" - Korra grinned widely.

They were sitting there few more minutes each sunk in her own thoughts.

"_Well, I think it's time to go to bed for all of us._" - finally Kya broke the silence.

All three nodded.

"_Goodnight, Korra. Goodnight, aunt Kya_" - both Jinora and Ikki and ran to their rooms.

"_'Night girls_."

When the girls disappeared, Korra looked at Kya: "_You know, you should go on one too._"

"_Sorry..?_" - Kya didn't understand what Korra was talking about.

"_A date. You should just ask her. I know how scary that can be, trust me. But you'll never know if you don't ask._"

"So this is where it was going..." - Kya thought.

"_Hey! You two got it simple. It was so obvious with you two. It's more complicated... with... us._" - this wasn't the most comfortable topic for Kya. She stood up to walk away. Korra did the same but she wasn't about to let Kya get away so easily.

"_It was nothing obvious with us!_" - "how could anyone even think that way!" - "_We had a lot of things going on. And it was a slow, long way. And a scary one too!_"

"_Oh please! She was the only one you let to help you. She was the one who wanted to be with you and was next to you leaving her company. How is that not obvious?!_" - "that's it, Kya, turn this talk away from yourself to her."

"_And she was the one you know all your life. And you are the only one who puts up with her. How is that not obvious?_"

Kya accelerate her pace - she needed to get to her room as quick as possible. This conversation could not continue any further. But Korra was persistent.

"_What's the worst that can happen? She says no. It's not like she would tell about it to somebody. And what if she says yes? You'd share a nice evening. Most probably nicer than either of you had ever had._"

"_Goodnight, Korra._" - Kya was already standing in her room. The only thing left was to shut the sneaky avatar.

"_Hey! We're not done here!_"

"_Yes. We. Are._" - Kya shot the door, rested upon them and sighted. Now she might not be able to sleep and it's all because of Korra.

Korra, in the mean time, had a very nice sleep. Asami had one too. Only problem, that she felt a bit lonely in that house. She wished to have somebody to tell about her date. But even if Bolin's and Mako's family was down the hall, she didn't feel as if they were the people with whom she wanted to share this kind of thing. She took the picture where she was with her parents.

"_Mom, Dad... I had such a wonderful evening today. Everything was so perfect. Korra build a special place for me... for us... She carved our history on four big ice obelisks. Everything was in there: our meeting, our desert adventure, how we grew together and towards each other. Even our suffering together. She didn't forget a thing. It was so beautiful. And look what she made for me!_" - she put the bouquet of iron flowers in front of the photo - "_She told: "these flowers will last longer. Hopefully forever. Like... my love". She's so sweet and great. I'm so happy..._" - her voice went low, fingers trailing two adult figures in the picture - "_I wished you were here. I miss you two so much..._" - a tear escaped her eyes. She wiped it, took few deep breaths, tailed the picture with her fingers one more time and put it back to the nightstand.

She changed to her sleeping clothes and went to bed. She took a deep breath like the one most people take before sleeping. Memories of the kiss came to her. Her heart pumped. Warmth spread through all of her body starting from the heart and right to the fingertips and hair-tips. And just like that she felt asleep.

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Note: I will include a timeskip next time most probably...


	25. Ch 25: The lost ones (things are coming)

Time skip.

After six months since their wedding, Korra and Asami were still living apart. Korra at the Air Temple island and Asami at her mansion. They were happily married and happily dating. This sequence of events might have been strange for some, but they were satisfied with it. After all, mixing things up was their thing.

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Korra suggested to bring dinner. Asami should be walking out of work, so she decided to swing by that Fire nation restaurant Asami liked and take something nice and tasty. After that - straight to the mansion. They'll figure out what to do after the food.

Korra knocked at the door (yep, after few months of dating she still did that coming to her-own-home-in-a-way). Grandma Yin opened the door.

"_Korra, dear! How are you? Asami is already here for some time, she's in the cabinet for some time. I think she's doing something there, if you'll ask me_."

"_Hello, misis Yin. Thank you. I'm sure you're right_." - it was strange that Asami was earlier at home. Later - won't be such a surprise, but even then Asami would call to the island to let Korra know. Earlier - was a bit of surprise... Korra curiously and suspiciously walked towards the cabinet.

"_What is it, wifey?_" - Korra asked Asami with a clearly felt concern as she opened the doors and walked towards Asami. The engineer was laying on her back, eyes locked on the ceiling, but it seemed that she looked somewhere through it.

"_Huh..?_" - Asami thought she heard some kind of sound, but she wasn't able to clearly define it.

"_Hey, are you ok? You seem to be drifting somewhere to a land far-far away._" - Korra sat by her side and stroke her arm few times her other hand placed at the far side of Asami's waist.

"_Yeah_." - Asami gave Korra a quick look and brought back her eyes into the ceiling again - "_I was just thinking._"

"_Think out loud._" - Korra still kept her hands on Asami's.

"_I... at dad's... at the office I found a picture._" - Korra gave Asami few more reassuring, encouraging strokes. She didn't want Asami to forget that she was here for her. - "_It was a picture of a woman, a man and a little girl" _\- Asami stopped a bit, took few shallow breaths and tried continued with that calm and kind of emotionless tone but her voice was starting to tremble - "_It was a picture of my grandparents with my mom_."

Korra flustered: "_You never mentioned before your grandparents..._" - she didn't knew what to say or what to do. This was something new. "But this should be happy news, right? Asami lost her parents, so grandparents should be good, right? Unless they died years ago in some tragic way..." - Korra thought to herself.

"_I know. We used to visit them a lot when I was little, before my mom got killed. After that my dad just didn't want to go there. I don't know why. As if they just vanished from our lives. And we from theirs. Maybe they reminded him of my mom and this was too painful for him. It was hard not to see them. I remember asking my dad to go to visit them, but he said he had to work or had a meeting, or any other excuse. And after a while I forgot about them._" - Asami looked into Korra's eyes terrified - "_Korra, I forgot about my grandparents! My family!_"

Korra quickly laid next-to-a-bit-on-top to Asami taking her into hard and tight embrace: "_Hey! Hey! You didn't forget anything! They were just forced out of your life. You wanted to see them, right? So this means they were important to you. I bet you were important to them too_." - Korra leaned back a bit so she would be able to see Asami and kissed the tip of her nose and then lips.

Even though Korra's action managed to ease Asami slightly, she still looked with horror in eyes, her body was shaking. Korra again tightened her grip around Asami.

"_Let's try to find them._" - Korra said firmly into Asami's ear.

Asami stopped trembling. The horror from her eyes transformed into shock.

"_...what..?_"

"_Let's try to find them._" - Korra repeated with the same confident tone and a hint of excitement.

"So it was true. She was indeed saying this..." - Asami thought.

"_But... I don't even know if they're alive..._" - the engineer said still without moving any other muscle than her mouth needed.

"_It doesn't matter. Wouldn't you like to visit them? Dead or alive. They are a part of your family. I know a part of your current family that would love to meet them..._" - her avatar had a small warm smile.

There were no traces of the horror that just seconds ago screwed her face.

_"I love you."_ \- Asami broke up. She started crying into Korra's shoulder - "_I love you so much!_" - she squeezed Korra so hard that it was hard for the avatar to breath.

"_I love you too, Platinum-heart._" - Korra kissed Asami's neck.

Asami chuckled through tears which started to slow down: "_That's the strangest pet name I've ever heard._"

"_Why, thank you_." - Korra fixed her position so she would be able to look Asami in the eyes - "_I tried my best._" - she added with her oh-so-pleased-with-herself tone.

Asami giggled: "_You're impossible._"

"_Impossible to fix because I'm impossibly cute?_"

Asami giggled again: "_That too._" - She pulled Korra for a deep kiss. Korra was laying fully on her. Asami tangled her palms in Korra's hair. Korra pushed her hands around Asami's back. Their tongs where dancing in the space where both of their lips met. It was a kiss that cleared Asami's head, relieved any doubts, stress or anything that wasn't calmness and peace.

"_I don't know how you do it._" - Asami said with a such a tone, that Korra wasn't sure if she intended to say this loud.

The master bender pulled the genius for a quick kiss to the lips. To the cheek. To the other cheek. To the nose. To the forehead. To left eye. To right eye.

"_Do what?_" - she finally found some time to ask.

"_This!_" - Asami had a happy, calm, middle sized smile - "_It's so easy for you to make me smile, laugh. Feel at ease._"

"_I learned from the best._" - another kiss to the lips - "_And the smartest._" - kiss - "_Actually, to make it shorter, the -est in everything that's good and have a positive effect._" - few kisses to the neck. Those made Asami inhale deeply and her heart dropped to her stomach. Her breathing was slow and deep. Her hands were slowly chaotically moving on Korra's back.

"_Really?_" - Asami's voice was low, slow, husky - "_I want to meet that person. Could you arrange that? I promise to pay you back so you won't regret it._" - Asami brought Korra's head up and placed a few kisses on her right jaw line.

_"Hmmm._" - Korra sunk into the touch - "_Not sure if she would find the time. You see, she has a company to run and then there's me... Her day's are full_"

"_I put my trust in your persuasion abilities..._" - her voice was still low, slow. Her hands gently and slowly stroke Korra's left side and whatever it met on it's way from her neck to her hips.

They exchanges few more kisses and settled down in each other's arms.

"_So, when are we leaving?_" - moments latter Korra asked Asami occasionally.

Asami looked down.

"_Asami_" - Korra took her chin and lifted so their eyes would meet - "_It's going to be ok. We're going to find them._"

Asami nodded slightly.

"_Will the day after tomorrow be fine?_" - she cautiously lifted her eyes to look at Korra.

"_Yep!_" - Korra slightly shouted enthusiastically.

"_You sure you don't have some important avatar stuff to do?_" - the engineer asked. She wanted Korra next to her more than everything, but she couldn't just be that selfish.

"_I will be doing some important family stuff. Nothing can beat that. Besides, I was gone for three years - the world didn't collapse and Tenzin with the airbenders managed to deal with almost everything. I'm sure they'll be fine again_." - Korra said to Asami and continued to herself: "There was Kuvira who helped them in the Earth Kingdom, but that's a different story. I came back to for one."

"_Actually, if you remember that didn't turn out too well for the world..._"

"We work out great_, didn't we? I think it turned out the best possible way!_" - Korra gave Asami a smirk.

Asami rolled her eyes: "It seems that no matter the topic, she will always find a way to make it about us. And I'm still not sure if that's a good thing."

"_Thank you for doing this with me._" - Asami placed her palm on Korra's cheek.

"_I'm happy to do this._" - Korra took Asami's face in between her palms - "_And I can't wait to meet your grandparents._" - Korra replied with more serious tone placing a light kiss.

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Notes: I kind of imagine Korra being in that honeymoon stage all the time and wanting to tell Asami how great Korra thinks she is, so she does it on each possible occasion. And Asami being more grounded when it comes to just the two of them. The problem with this - it's a bit hard for Asami to have a serious discussion sometimes with Korra. On the other hand, that's a good thing in its own way. I also always wanted to meet Asami's grandparents. They should be about Toph age by now but still it would be interesting to meet them...


End file.
